Shoot An Arrow Through His Heart
by ninjagirlmai
Summary: After Bianca's mother dies in a plane crash, her family falls apart. Now a senior in high school, life's never been more complicated. When Hades' fiancé Persephone and her daughter Hazel move in, Nico spirals out of control. Maybe that new kid, Will Solace, can help him? It's time for a girl to take Cupid's bow; luckily, Bianca always hits the bull's-eye. COMPLETE.
1. Bianca’s Not Dead? (Prologue)

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Bianca's life was perfect... until a plane went down in the Arizona desert.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2690  
Content Warning: Violent Imagery (mild)

Welcome to "Bianca is a super underrated character and dagnabbit she won't die in another fic if I can help it!" I'm Melody Rose, you might've seen "The Coming of Nico di Angelo" and "The Ghosts of Millennia" popping up in your tag results... those are mine as well. (And you should read them and comment am I whoring myself out enough?)

If you did read those other fics, you'll notice I'm not putting ratings up there anymore. That's because none of the content warnings are enough to warrant any rating but the one you see in the tags, so it's not worth it. And general warning for cursing for every single chapter. I don't want to keep writing that one up top either.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

Are we recording? Testing, testing, one two three... Nico! We're recording? Cool.

Hi, I'm Bianca di Angelo. You probably knew that. *nervous laugh* I'm sorry, I'm really not used to... this. Ironically.

I guess I'll start from the beginning, then.

My parents are Hades and Maria di Angelo. Yes, _that _Maria di Angelo, the world-famous singer. The "Barbra Streisand of Italy." That's how my parents met if you didn't already know-Papà's studio, D.O.A. Recording Studios, bought out Mamma's original label in Italy.

_D.O.A. totally stands for "Dead on Arrival!" Papà's the guy from the Greek myths! He's an immortal reptilian Illuminati- _

Thank yooooou, Nico. Now, kindly shut the fuck up.

_Persephoneeee, Bianca's cursing at me agaaaaain! _

You know, I can get one of Papà's guys to run the audio equipment! ... There. That's a good boy.

Right, so, back to Italy. Papà met Mamma because she was _Bellissimi Studi di Canto's _headliner. I like to think it was love at first sight. Nico-my _carlo fratello _who decided to butt in earlier-and I grew up in this beautiful penthouse in _Venezia. _I remember it was right over the water, not too far from _Piazza San Marco_. Tourists would come and go all the time, but I didn't mind much.

We traveled a lot, too. Whenever Mamma toured, we went right along with her, across Europe, Asia, and, of course, the United States. Papà was usually with us too, but obviously he had to take business trips to L.A. all the time. Mamma didn't seem to mind. She always said their love was-quote-"a dance of sad goodbyes and joyful reunions." Besides, Papà never stayed away for very long.

Everything changed in 2013. We were on our way to L.A., flying over the Arizona desert when the plane went down. I remember I was playing Mario Kart on my 3DS when the plane started shaking. I thought it was turbulence, so I kept playing my game. It's amazing how well I can tune things out sometimes. I just remember Mamma grabbing me, then everything went black.

*Deep breaths, as though Bianca's about to cry*

_You want me to take over? ... She's nodding, folks._

* * *

I was ten at the time, so I don't remember as much as Bianca. I grabbed a snack-nice thing about private jets-and then everything started shaking. I fell to the ground and busted my knee. Someone-I don't know who-picked me up and helped me sit back down. That's when the lights turned off. I was so scared, I was... yeah, I was crying. Mamma was trying to get Bianca's attention.

The bad thing about private jets? You don't have to keep your seatbelt on. Bianca never buckled hers, even during takeoff. That's probably why Mamma grabbed her, to shake her like she sometimes did to get her attention and tell her to put the damn thing on. But it didn't work. Bianca flew forward and smacked her head on the opposite wall; Mamma and I were screaming. Without even thinking, I think, Mamma unbuckled her seatbelt so she could pick up Bianca. We both still thought it was just really bad turbulence.

That's when the plane crashed. Mamma jumped on top of Bianca-or maybe she just fell like that. Either way, it saved Bianca's life. Mamma... um, Mamma wasn't so lucky.

I shook Mamma, crying, but obviously she didn't wake up. She wasn't breathing. I checked her pulse, and there was nothing. I looked at the cockpit, but the entire front of the plane had smashed in. The pilot was crushed beneath tons of metal; there was no way she was still alive either. Something told me I had to get out of there. The smart part of me said that Bianca had to be dead too, and I should just go, but, somehow, I knew that wasn't true. I just had a feeling it wasn't true. So, I pulled Mamma off of Bianca, and I dragged Bianca outside with me. I screamed for help, but it was the middle of the desert. There wasn't anyone around.

I guess I thought I could walk to civilization, so I did my best to lift Bianca and limped a random direction. It was the right decision. A few minutes later, the plane exploded. The crash must've set off a spark in the engine. If I hadn't pulled Bianca off the plane, she would've died.

_I'm glad you did. _

I am too, B. ... Right. So. I lucked out. I realized Bianca still had her cell phone in her pocket. I didn't have one. Mamma and Papà wouldn't let us get one until we hit middle school. I checked it, and no bars. Obviously.

In my series of live-saving luck, it was nighttime, and winter, so the desert wasn't too hot. I carried Bianca until I found this... there's no other word for it but a ghost town. I wandered around until I saw this big plaque. A little trivia, because I need to stall a bit or I'm going to break too. According to the plaque, the place was called Swansea, it was this mining town that was first settled in 1862, founded in 1908. It started to decline in the 1920s, and the last mine officially closed in 1937.

I knew where I was now. I left Bianca near the plaque and ran around Swansea until, by some miracle, I got a single bar on the phone. I didn't know what the 113 number was in the U.S., so I called Papà and told him what happened. We kept going in and out, and it was all static-y, and I was crying, but, eventually, he realized what was going on. He called 911 for me and told me to wait with Bianca by the plaque.

It took about an hour for the helicopters to find us. As soon as we were safe, my knee started hurting really bad. It was the kind of pain where all you can think about is how painful it is. They took us to the hospital. It turned out that my knee was completely shattered from my fall; the hospital staff was shocked that I was able to walk around the desert. You hear all these kinds of amazing things your body can do in survival situations. I guess I'm one of those examples now.

They operated on my knee to piece it back together. I still have a brace on it to this day, but you can't see it through my jeans, and otherwise I got away unscathed. When I woke up from the anesthetic, Papà was sitting next to me. He was crying-that was the first time I'd ever seen him crying. He put his hand to my cheek and kept saying things like, "you're safe, Nico, don't worry, I love you, you're going to be okay," over and over again.

Bianca was still in the operating table as they tried to treat her injuries. When the doctor came in, he asked Papà to step outside, but he wouldn't leave my side. "We have news about your daughter, Mr. di Angelo," the doctor said. I remember Papà asked if Bianca was dead; the doctor asked him to step outside a second time, but he didn't budge. We both could tell by the doctor's tone that it wasn't going to be good news.

I asked how long until she wakes up. I tried to keep asking, but my voice broke, and I started crying. Papà tried to comfort me, but it was like he wasn't even there anymore.

It was the first of many moments I felt like he chose Bianca over me.

The doctor started going on about something or other about Bianca's condition, but I didn't listen. My world was collapsing. My mother was dead, my sister was probably dead too, and my father looked like he was a million miles away. There was an emptiness in his eyes that a part of me knew he would never recover from.

"I won't pull the plug," Papà said firmly.

The doctor pursed his lips. It looked like he got that kind of response all the time. He said, "sir, there's a very little chance she'll wake. These things can get expensive-"

Papà cut him off. "Do you know who I am?" he demanded. "I have billions, and I'll go bankrupt before I let her go."

I had to stay in the hospital another week. Papà practically lived there too. When I had P.T., he would stay with Bianca, and when I was able, I'd go too.

It took three weeks for her to start showing any sign of waking. We were both in the room when she started twitching. Papà ran for the nurse, and, a few days later, B opened her eyes. She was in there another two months, recovering. Papà and I spent every day with her.

*Deep breaths, as though Nico's about to cry*

_Hey? Nico, it's okay, I think I can take over again. _

Thanks, Bianca.

* * *

People ask me sometimes if I remember being in a coma. I don't. It's just black. One minute, I was playing Mario Kart, then I blinked, and I was in the hospital with a bunch of doctors standing over me. And, yeah, let's talk about that. I started screaming and thrashing. Well, not _exactly _thrashing, because I was so... groggy doesn't begin to explain it, but that's the closest word. I was terrified and confused, even a little angry, though I didn't know why. I couldn't form thoughts at all.

I felt like I was swimming. People were saying things, but I couldn't understand them. My vision kept going in and out, and then it was blurry when it was in. Is that the saying? If I'm saying "in and out," I guess when I had vision, it's "in."

Okay, you know what I mean.

I couldn't speak for a day or so. My memory's really, really foggy-I have this one memory of Papà spoon feeding me in the hospital, and another of a physical therapist moving my leg back and forth.

_She was a hassle for the doctors, too. She basically had to relearn English, so Papà kept having to fly in doctors from Italy to work with her. It probably cost an arm and a leg, but, you know, billionaire. It took her like six months with a private tutor to speak conversational English again. _

I remember that. It was really annoying, to say the least, because, after the plane crash, there was no way we were going back to Italy. The mansion in L.A. that used to be our summer home turned into our new full-time house. We still have the penthouse in _Venezia, _and we go sometimes, but it's more of a vacation house now.

Nico and I missed Mamma's funeral. I think that was for the best, honestly. I don't know if I'd've been able to take it. And Nico was ten; I doubt he would've been able to, either.

The first day I got out of the hospital, Papà took us to visit Mamma's grave. I did my best to be brave for them. I cried, but not hysterically like I wanted to. I said a few words about how she would've been so proud of us for getting out alive and recovering, and I promised her that I'd be someone she'd be proud of. Nico was too hysterical to speak. He listened and nodded to me, but I doubted he could even hear what I was saying. Papà looked so far away, too.

When we got home, I went up to my room, made up just like it had been every summer, and I lied in bed, curled up, and cried the rest of the day. I missed her _so much_. She'd died to save me... that had to mean something.

Our family changed that day. Nico started acting out, he got more aggressive and cold. He would spend hours by himself. We all wore black for a month, but, when Papà and I finally changed out of it, Nico didn't. He refused to. His bubbly, sometimes annoying energy was gone. He didn't seem to enjoy anything anymore.

His behavior wore Papà down. As the months went by, he stopped arguing with Nico. He seemed to stop talking altogether. He drowned his grief in his work. Soon, there was a rift between Papà and me. But if ours was a rift, between him and Nico was a chasm. Our family was falling apart.

I kept asking myself every night, why had Mamma died and I survived? Why did I wake up from a coma when the doctor said I wouldn't? I wasn't much for religion, but I prayed to heaven for some kind of answer, hoping Mamma could hear me. For months, all I could see was Papà's and Nico's faces as we stood by the gravestone. They both looked so... so _broken. _

And that's when I knew. I sat up and wiped the tears from my cheeks. "No more tears," Mamma would always say when Nico or I threw a fit. "Anger and sadness are important to feel, but you have to know when to stop crying. Crying doesn't make things better, it only keeps you from thinking about the solution."

"It's time to stop crying," I said. "I'll be strong for you, Mamma. Family was always the most important thing to you. Your death broke Papà and Nico. I promise that I'll do what you always did; I'll take care of them like you would've, and put this family back together."

I made good on that vow. Slowly, I took Mamma's place in our house. I ran the household, instructed our staff to the point where they went to me for everything, even their paychecks. I wrote Papà's meetings on the calendar and made sure he took a break once in a century. I parented Nico, praised him when he did good, punished him when he acted out, made sure he got to school and did his homework, bugged him endlessly about making friends. But he always said he didn't need anyone but me.

Our private chef, Sally, has a son named Percy who went to the same high school as us, and that's basically how I ended up with my current group of friends. There's him, then his girlfriend Annabeth, Jason-the one guy who could probably turn Percy gay-and Jason's crush Piper, and Leo, Jason's best friend. Oh, also Grover and Rachel.

_She forgot to mention that she was one of the most popular people at school, if you didn't get that from the endless list of friends. I think a different guy asked her out, like, every single day. _

It was one every _other _day, thank you very much.

I got pretty decent grades, too, considering everything I'd gone through. It was enough that I qualified to do the junior high team sports in eighth grade. Percy had just gotten together with Annabeth, and she wanted to try the archery team. I decided to join her as a bit of bonding. She dropped out of it pretty quickly, but I stuck with it. The coach, Artemis, told me I should try out for the team as a freshman. I did, and I got on the team. Go Half-Blood Hellhounds!

That's where I met my best friend, Thalia. She's pretty intimidating, but, when you get to know her, she's actually kind of awesome. Then there's Zoë Nightshade, Phoebe Apollo, Naomi Myers, and Celyn Holly. The six of us are really close, and Coach Artemis is basically our Mom. Yeah, she has a last name, but literally no one calls her anything but Artemis.

And that's how it was until senior year. My little family, my friends, and my teammates.

Then, one day, Papà called Nico and me into his office to give us the news that would change our lives forever.

_He proposed to Persephone! _

God, Nico, I was trying to be mysterious!

* * *

**END NOTES**

Couldn't find a beta commentary without spoilers. What's beta commentary? Join me next week...

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1)  
Other: artululu - Cover Artist (Tumblr artululu)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!


	2. PERCY NO

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Hades makes his big announcement with less-than-thrilling results.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2975  
Content Warning: None

I'm baaaaaack! I would reread the first chapter in case you forgot it, but if you don't want to, the only change that I made is Percy isn't Bianca's cousin. She knows him now because Sally is the di Angelo's private chef.

Formatting note: during the text conversations, not-bold is Bianca and bold is whoever she's talking to.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

I should talk about Persephone.

So, like I said before, my family is super, super wealthy. We live in an affluent neighborhood with a bunch of other millionaires. I mentioned two of them already: Piper McLean, Jason's crush. Her parents are Tristan McLean, the famous actor-the_ the King of Sparta _guy-and Aphrodite McLean, the model. Jason also lives nearby-his father's Jupiter Grace, the owner of Zeus Airlines.

_Would you like to describe everyone on our street, B? _

How many times do I have to tell you to shut up?

Persephone Levesque and her mother Demeter run Levesque Gardening Services. They're, you guessed it, gardeners, and they do our entire street. Demeter's a grouchy old lady-I never talk to her-but Persephone's awesome. She always waves to me on my way back from school, usually gives me fruit from her orchard at home. When I was younger, I babysat her adopted daughter Hazel while she was busy trimming hedges and whatnot. By the time of The Announcement™, Hazel was a freshman and would help with the gardening as well. They didn't look like they had much money, but they seemed happy anyway.

Papà didn't tell us when they started going out. He was always nice to her, don't get me wrong, and they would talk sometimes, but it was more of a friendly employer-employee relationship. It just never crossed my mind that he'd be with anyone but Mamma.

So, flash forward to last August. It's the last day of summer, a week after my eighteenth birthday. I'm heading into senior year and Nico, sixteen years old, is heading into junior year. I've spent the last two months juggling an internship with D.O.A.'s business sector, an online class in marketing, summer practices at the archery range, and keeping the plates spinning at home. Nico, meanwhile, is spending his days vandalizing property and smoking pot in his room.

It was around six o'clock. I was helping Sally make dinner when Thanatos Mors came into the room. He's the C.O.O. at D.O.A. Recording Studios.

"There you are, Bianca," he said.

I looked up from the vegetables I was chopping. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Bianca!" Sally scolded.

Thanatos smiled, amused. "I doubt she meant it like that. I was meeting with your father."

"He's home?" I asked. He never stayed home from work, ever, unless he was sick enough that I forced him to.

"He wants to speak to you and your brother immediately," Thanatos said. "He's in his office."

"Go on," Sally said. "I'll finish without you."

I made my way to Papà's office. It's a big room with wood panel walls, thick carpets, and a diamond chandelier on the ceiling. Papà's desk is on an elevated platform, so he literally looks down on anyone that walks in. He's like a king on a throne behind that desk. It's supposed to be intimidating, and it is... to anyone but me. Papà talks a big game, but he's harmless deep down.

"Where's Nico?" Papà asked.

"I thought he'd already be here," I said.

"When was the last time he listened to anything I say?" Papà muttered.

I sighed and said I'd call him.

I pulled up my favorites on my phone and hit THE GHOST KING. The phone rang three times before he answered it. "What do you need?" Nico asked, his voice gravelly for some unknown reason.

"You know exactly what I need," I chided him. "Get your butt down here right now."

I could hear Nico rustling on the other side of the phone. "I'm busy," he said.

"Whatever you're doing, it can wait," I told him.

"I don't want to fucking talk to him. Leave me alone," Nico snapped.

I covered my phone with my hand. "I'm going outside for a sec, okay?"

Papà waved me away. I went into the hall and shut the office door, then continued in a low voice, "Nico, the sooner you come downstairs, the sooner it'll be over."

"But if I don't come downstairs it's over now," he replied.

I grit my teeth, but I knew to keep my cool. "For me. Please. Or I'll tell Sally no dinner for you."

There was silence on the other end. I knew I got him. If there was one thing he loved, it was Sally's cooking.

_She puts crack in her chicken I swear. _

Honestly, that wouldn't surprise me.

I smiled triumphantly as I hit the end call button on my phone. I ran to the back stairs in time to meet Nico thundering his way down.

"You smell like smoke," I noticed. Nico shrugged. "I thought you said you quit?" He shrugged again. "Dad's gonna kill you."

"See if I care."

"Come here."

I pulled him into the guest bathroom and gave him some mouthwash. While he rinsed out his mouth, I sprayed some perfume to get rid of the smell of cigarettes. He coughed, dribbling some mouthwash down his chin. "That smells like ass," he said.

I threw him a towel to wipe his face. "Tough. I don't want an argument tonight, but this is the last time I'm covering for you. I'll buy you Nicorette if that's what it takes to wean you off, but _no more smoking_."

"You let me smoke pot," Nico huffed. "What's the difference?"

"Pot won't give you cancer," I answered. "Besides, I don't like pot either. Go change your clothes and meet me in Papà's office. If you're not down in two minutes, I'll drag you there myself."

"He's on his way," I announced when I walked back into the office.

Papà said, "Thank you, Bianca," and I swear he almost smiled.

Nico sulked in after a few minutes.

_That's not how you use that word. _

Well, that's the way you were walking. You stomped in with that pouty look on your face and dive-bombed onto the couch with your arms crossed. How else would you describe that?

_...fine. _

"I want to talk to you two," Papà began. His voice was cold in an authoritative sort of way. He usually sounded like that.

"I thought you wanted to sit here and stare at us," Nico muttered.

Papà's eyes flashed. I glanced at him with one word in my eyes: 'don't.'

Papà cleared his throat. "Thank you, Nico. As I was saying... you two know Persephone Levesque."

Nico snorted. "What, is she not chopping the hedges right? Is that what's so important?"

"_Nico,_" I warned under my breath. He rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else to piss Papà off, which was all I could really expect.

"She won't be chopping our hedges anymore," Papà said. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. _Is he nervous? _I thought.

"Is something wrong?" I asked. "Is she all right?"

He forced himself to smile. "She's all right. She's... she's better than all right. Bianca, Nico... I've asked her to marry me."

You could've heard a pin drop. Nico and I sat there and stared at him. Nico was pale; his mouth was hanging open. I doubt I looked much better.

"I know it's a shock," Papà continued, "but neither of us wanted to say anything to anyone until we were sure. We've... discussed things, and decided it's best to proceed in this way."

"Please tell me Demeter's not moving in with us," I blurted out.

Papà's lips curled into a small smile. "I wouldn't wish Demeter on anyone, even Jupiter and Poseidon."

I'll get to them later.

_Oh, really? No long aside about a random detail? Who are you and what have you done to my sister? _

I'm going to ignore that.

I did something between a nervous laugh and a gasp. Papà's smile faltered. "Persephone and Hazel _are _going to move in with us. Our marriage affects you children, and we both want you two and Hazel to be comfortable with it. We'll take things slow, make sure everything works out." He folded his hands on his desk. "Understand, this is your decision too. If Persephone can't get along with my children, she has no place in my home."

"I don't want another mother," Nico growled.

Papà started to shake slightly. "Nico, she isn't meant to replace your mother."

"Then why are you doing this?!" Nico shouted. "I can't believe you'd do this to Mamma!"

Papà's eyes flashed with anger. "Your mother-"

"No!" Nico screamed. "How _dare _you! How _could _you?! I can't even _look _at you!"

"Nico!"

"I _HATE _HER! AND I HATE _YOU_!" Nico shot up and ran out of the room, tears in his eyes.

Papà stood. "Nico!" he shouted.

I stood too, stoic. "I need to go."

I left without another word. I collapsed halfway up the stairs and burst into tears. I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I didn't know what to think or say or do. Things were never as good as when Mamma was alive, but in the years since the plane crash, we'd come to some kind of normal. I promised Mamma I'd bring the family together, and, while I hadn't, I'd tried, I'd worked so hard, and, at the very least, I'd _held _us all together. But how could we get past this?

I woke up in my bed to someone adjusting the pillows below my head.

"Papà?" I croaked.

"I came in to check on you, and you weren't in your bed," he said. "I found you asleep on the stairs."

"Why would you check on me?" I asked.

Papà took my hand. "I do it more than you think." He laughed to himself. "I shouldn't, I know, you aren't children anymore." His hand shook. I turned on the lamp and saw that he was crying. I hadn't seen him cry since I woke up from the coma.

I sat up. "Papà..." I whispered. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. I pushed down the lump in my throat. Papà was never weak. I had to be strong for him.

"I still have nightmares," he admitted. "I see you and Nico in that plane, I hear the doctor tell me you'd died, I find out Nico-" he stopped himself, or maybe he just couldn't go on through his tears. "I need to see you sometimes, honey, I need to see you're still breathing."

"I'm here," I said, "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

"Do you know how afraid I am?" he asked. "Do you know how much I love you? I wish your mother never died, but she did, and I have to go on. But I can't go on without you." He pulled away, looked me in the eye, and cupped my cheek. "Bianca, you and Nico, your happiness, it means more to me than anything in this world. Persephone and I knew this might happen, and it's okay. I'll tell her in the morning things didn't work out."

_He... he really said that? _

Yeah, Nico, he really did. He was going to break up with her for _us_. I was so shocked I didn't know what to say. I grabbed him, and I pulled back into the hug. "Can I sleep with you tonight?" I asked. I hadn't done that since I was twelve.

"Of course," he said. He picked me up and carried me to his room. I fell asleep in his arms.

I woke up to his alarm blaring at six in the morning. I sat up and turned it off. Papà smiled apologetically. "Early meeting today. At your school, in fact; we're organizing a scholarship and I have a stake in it. How are you?"

"Better," I said. "And that's awesome of you. It's fine you woke me up, I have school today, remember? Jules-Albert would have to leave at 6:45 anyway for us to get in on time." Jules-Albert is our personal chauffeur.

Papà honest-to-god grinned at me. "Good. Which tie should I wear?"

I laughed and flung myself out of bed. I ran into his closet and picked out a suit and tie and laid it in the bathroom. I half-watched a rerun of _The Wonder Years _as he showered, scrolling through some texts on my phone. Thalia'd texted me last night, complaining about her boyfriend, Luke. They lived together in the slums. Luke was constantly in and out of jail for stealing things and keying cars. I'd said for years that she should dump the loser, but she always insisted things weren't as bad as they seemed. I texted her back:

DAT PINE TREE DOH

What did he do this time?

**Some stupid graffiti.**

They took him to the station over that?

**There was profanity or some shit, I have no idea. You know the cops hate him anyway, they'd arrest him over a can of beer. I have to bail him out as soon as I get dressed.**

Do you need to borrow cash?

**Nah, I've got some in a jar marked "my idiot boyfriend." I'll see you at school.**

I x-d out of the conversation and pulled up Nico's recent messages.

THE GHOST KING

Wake up, brother dearest.

**Go to hell.**

If you aren't downstairs in twenty I'm coming in with a bucket of cold water.

**I hate my life.**

Tell that to the starving orphans in Africa.

**And now I feel like crap. Thanks for that!**

My phone buzzed. It was Jason, sending me a picture of himself.

GOLDEN BOY

**Do I look OK?**

You look fine. What's the occasion?

**Piper's in AP Lit with me. We're discussing Romeo and Juliet. Fucking Romeo and Juliet!**

Good. Ask her out.

**(...)**

Ask her out, Jason. It's the most romantic play of all time.

**It's about two idiot kids who know each other for like two days and multiple people die.**

Good, that can be your pick-up line. "Hey, Pipes, do you want to do better than Romliet? Great, pick you up at six."

**I gotta go.**

Course you do.

SEAWEED BRAIN

Piper's in your first period, right?

**Yeah.**

Can you get, like, written proof that she likes Jason so he'll stop freaking out?

**JASON LIKES PIPER?**

HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THIS HE WAS AT HER HOUSE EVERY DAY THIS SUMMER

**I WAS IN MONTAUK REMEMBER**  
**OMG OMG OMG**  
**FUCK FUCK FUCK**  
**YES I WILL DO THAT**  
**OMG THEY'RE GONNA BE SO CUTE**

WISE GIRL

Annabeth, text your boyfriend, I think he's having a heart attack.

SEAWEED BRAIN

**MY BRO HAS A CRUSH OMG**  
**HOW DID NOBODY TELL ME THIS**

BEAUTY QUEEN

**Wanna walk to school together?**

Sure, I'll meet you at the stop sign at 6:30.

**Cool. Is Nico gonna come with us?**

He'll probably take the limo.  
If he even goes to school.

GOLDEN BOY

Piper and I are walking to school together. We'll be in the caf around 6:45. Think of something to say, OK?

**You're my savior and I love you.**

COMMANDER TOOL BELT

Jason and Piper are meeting up this morning. Find him before we get to school and by god give him some balls, please?

**I thought it was my job to get** **golden boy laid?**

Yeah, well, you're shit at it so I've gotta take over before Percy does.

**Hey! It's not easy! Not everyone is as hot as me.**

Just do it before Percy screws it up, okay? I love him but he's clueless.

**You got it, chica.**

SEAWEED BRAIN

**BIANCA WHY ARE YOU NOT SAYING ANYTHING?**  
**Fuck hold on Annabeth's texting me.**

WISE GIRL

**I'll take care of Seaweed Brain, you get ready for school.**

Thank god, I think he's literally crying right now.

**Out of happiness or because his **brofriend's** finally taken?**

Probably both.

**Grover's on his way to Percy's. He'll take care of it.**

LORD OF THE WILD

Thank you for diffusing the Percy bomb.

**I'm used to it. Just don't set him off next time.**

IT WAS SO NOT MY FAULT

THE ORACLE

**Why is Percy asking me for relationship advice?**  
**Is something wrong with him and Annabeth?**

Nah, he just found out about Jasiper and ships it hard.

**I think he's going to try to set them up.**

Oh dear lord no.

SEAWEED BRAIN

I'M** TOTALLY GOING TO SET THEM UP**  
**THIS IS GOING TO BE SO CUTE**

LORD OF THE WILD

HURRY UP GROVER HE'S GOING CRAZY

**Underwood to the rescue in T-minus five minutes. I'm almost there.**

Papà emerged from the bathroom in the suit I'd picked out for him. "How do I look?" he asked.

"Your hair's still wet," I said.

He laughed. "It dries quickly."

I put my phone away. It was still buzzing with the current crisis, but I had other things to worry about. Namely, resuming my duties as Papà's P.A.. "Sally made that fruit salad you like for breakfast, and I packed a lunch for you for the office, it's sitting on the dining table."

Papà kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you, Bianca. Have a good day at school."

He had his hand on the doorknob before I got the courage to speak. "Papà?"

"Yes?"

"Does Persephone make you happy?"

"She does. Very much."

"Then- then I'm okay with it. And don't worry about Nico, he'll come around eventually."

Papà turned to face me. "I don't know about that, honey. It's like he's somewhere else. When I look at him, I think he hardly sees me."

"Help Persephone and Hazel move in," I insisted. "I'll take care of Nico." Papà nodded gratefully and walked out the door. I glanced back down at my phone, where my friends were still updating me on the Percy situation.

THE GHOST KING

**I'm fucking downstairs where are you?**

I smiled as I texted him back. "I'll fix it, Mamma, somehow," I said out loud. "I always do."

* * *

**END NOTES**

Promise I won't miss any other Saturdays... at least, for a while. Join me next week :)

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: Nico, meanwhile, is spending his days vandalizing property and smoking pot in his room.  
LUNA: Thats a Big mood  
LISSY: Nico is a talented graffiti artist and no one can tell me otherwise  
LUNA: Agreed

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose ( .com)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**AlchemyWriter**

_Cool, new story._

Thanks!

**Fenikkusu94**

_Cant wait for more. this is an awesome start._

Thank you! I'll do my best not to dissapoint.

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_I love this so much already! I can't wait for the next chapter!_

It's here! One each Saturday!


	3. Look, a Hot Blond Boy

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

The first day of school.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2750  
Content Warning: None

Guess who's coming in this chapter?

For those of you who are following my other fic, the Ghosts of Millennia, I know I didn't post the standard two chapters this week. I've just been super, super, super swamped. I'm going to post extra next week to make up for it.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

I met Piper at our usual spot. Like most New York suburbs, our town is completely covered with trees. If you cut through the woods behind our houses, there's a narrow, overgrown trail that leads to a small creek in the middle of nowhere. Or, at least, it _feels _like the middle of nowhere. In reality, it's like half a mile from the road.

I think the trail used to be for horses because it's too big to be a foot trail but not big enough for off-road jeeps. I doubt anyone knows about it but my friends and I. Percy, Grover, Thalia, Zoë and I found it a few years ago while we were searching for Annabeth. There was an… incident with Nico, mythomagic, a giant boar, some skeletons from science class, and Coach Artemis. It's too long of a tangent to get into now, even for me.

The trail doesn't lead to anywhere in particular, but I know those woods like the back of my hand after all the years I've spent exploring them. Piper and I know how to cut through the woods to get to school; we usually walk together if it's a nice day and we have a bit of extra time on our hands. Some of our best conversations come when we're alone. And I was happy we had this morning because I had a lot on my plate.

"Morning, Bianca!" Piper greeted me.

"Morning!" I chirped.

Piper looked at me skeptically. "Okay, what's wrong?" she asked.

I groaned. Piper was too good with people for her own good. "Is it that obvious?" I asked.

"To me," she said. "Now, spill."

I kept my eyes on my feet as I explained about Persephone, Papà, and Nico. My excuse was that I had to keep myself from tripping over the stray branches, but Piper didn't buy it. The truth is, sometimes, like Nico, I need to hide from the world. When I put my head down and my hair falls in my face, it's like a little protective cage around me. It makes hard stuff easier to take.

Is that weird? It sounds a little weird.

_Are you actually asking me a question? _

Yes, Nico, I'm actually asking you a question.

_But I thought I'm supposed to sit here and shut up? _

You are a sarcastic little shit and I hate you. Now did that sound weird or not?

_Bianca, we're recording an exposé that mostly consists of your high school social interactions and, spoiler alert, my love life. So, no, I don't think the fact that you put your hair in front of your face sometimes is the weirdest thing they're going to hear. _

There's a lot more to the story than that, but solid point.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Piper asked.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I don't want Nico to spiral even more than he already has. Junior year's so important, you know? And I'm afraid about next year when I'm in college, and he's by himself. If he keeps going like this… well, I don't want him to end up on the side of a road somewhere."

"That's not going to happen," Piper assured me. "Things aren't that bad with Nico. I think he just needs a friend."

"I've been telling him that for years!" I reminded her. "I know he needs someone else to look out for him, but he won't put himself out there at all." I sighed. "Even if I find someone for him, what if they enable it? I don't know everything about everyone in the school! What if he ends up on meth or something because I picked a drug dealer?"

"You need to stop worrying," Piper said. "We know who the crackheads are. And, let's be real, I don't think Nico's going to start doing anything hardcore."

"That's the thing," I said, pushing down a lump in my throat. "After yesterday, I'm not so sure that's true anymore. You didn't see the- the look in his eyes. They were so empty. Even Papà's given up, stopped sending him to therapy, any of that. He's been getting worse this summer, he knows I'm leaving, and I think it's killing him."

Piper pulled me into a hug. "We'll figure it out," she whispered in my ear. "Nico's our friend, too. We're not going to let him fall."

She lifted a stray tree branch for me to crouch under. I ducked through, pushed back some more leaves, and there it was: Half-Blood High. Three lanes of cars zoomed past at the bottom of the hill, stopping every now and again at a crosswalk to let students through to the other side. The high school was a blocky, three-story brick building surrounded by stone paths through the college-like campus. Various sports fields hugged the side of the road, sprawling into the distance. Let's just say the school got plenty of funding.

I shot a quick text to Jason that Piper and I were on our way to the dining pavilion, then made my way down the hill to the crosswalk. Five minutes later, we were back in the white tile halls of the suckiest place on earth. I missed summer already.

Twenty feet from the dining pavilion, Percy and Grover assaulted us in the hall. "Piper!" Percy said a little too loudly. "Let's go to English together! Now!"

Piper looked at him, confused. "But we still have ten minutes-"

Percy cut her off. "We might get lost! Or… something… come on!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her back the way we came. She had no choice but to follow, stuttering as she tried to get a grip on the situation while Percy rambled about nothing.

I turned to Grover. "Let me guess, Golden Boy's having another freakout?" I deduced.

Grover nodded.

I pushed the doors forward and walked into the open-air pavilion. Jason was leaning on a table, head hanging over the side, heaving like he was about to throw up. Leo, Annabeth, and Rachel stood beside him, Leo with a hand on his back.

"Please tell me he didn't puke," I asked as I rushed over there.

"Close, but no," Grover informed me.

As we got closer, all I could hear was Jason repeating "I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this," over and over again as he hyperventilated.

"If Percy could ask Annabeth out, you can ask Piper out," Rachel said. "Annabeth's a million times scarier than Piper."

"You ask her then," Jason said. He stopped retching. "I'm good, I'm good," he panted. "All good."

"Crisis averted," Grover announced. "Piper's on the other side of the school."

Jason groaned. "Why can't I do this? She's just a girl! A really cute, smart, better-than-me-in-every-way- ahh, dammit!" He threw his glasses onto the table and rubbed his temples.

"Look at it this way," Annabeth said, sitting next to him, "if you don't do it, I'm pretty sure seaweed brain's going to do it for you."

Jason groaned again. "I'm a weak human being," he moaned.

Leo got his usual troublemaker twinkle in his eye. "Do you know why we're best friends?" he asked Jason. Jason answered with another incoherent grunt. "We're best friends because when you don't have balls, I'm more than happy to lend you mine."

I elbowed Leo in the shoulder. "Don't make fun of him. I still remember Khione."

Leo grabbed his shoulder, wincing. "So this is what I for trying to cheer him up? Friends hurt."

"Nah, thanks man," Jason said, coming up from the table. "He's right, Bianca. I just need to do it. And I will, but it's… not the right time."

"It's never going to be the right time," Annabeth said. "Jason, you need to get over yourself and _ask her." _

The warning bell rang, signaling five minutes until first period. We all gathered our things, waved good-bye, and went our separate ways to class.

I walked all the way to the back of the Biology II classroom. If there was one thing I hated, it was the feeling of thirty eyes on the back of my head. I'll admit that I'm shy outside my group of friends, even if I am pretty popular. I slid in the furthest seat from the door, threw my backpack next to me, and shot a text to Nico, asking if he made it to school. When he texted me a 'no,' I locked my phone and threw it onto the desk without saying a word. He'd know how angry I was if I gave him the silent treatment, and that would probably be enough to get him to school tomorrow.

_Can I just say how weird it is to hear myself talked about in the third person? _

Are you stalling? Oh my god, you are! He's blushing, guys, he's honest-to-god blushing! This is so cute, where's my phone, I have to take a picture and send it to-

_No phones in my recording booth. _

We're not even in a recording booth. And that equipment isn't yours, it's Papà's.

_Papà isn't your sound engineer. _

You know what? I'm not going to let you stall anymore! So, I throw my phone down on the desk, and it slides right off and falls onto the floor. I bend forward to pick it up, but a certain someone beat me to the punch. I saw a hand grab the phone, and when I turned to look up, I saw a boy with blond hair and a smile brighter than the sun. I said something super smart, like "Um- oh!" and shot up a little too quickly and banged my head on the bottom of the desk. That only made me more embarrassed. Like I said-shy, and not that good with people either.

"Ow, that looks painful," the boy said.

I couldn't think of anything to say. What do you say to a super gorgeous guy who just watched you make a fool of yourself?

The boy dropped my phone on the desk and sat next to me. "I'm Will Solace, I'm new here," he said, holding his hand out to me. My head was still level with the side of the desk, my hair was in my face, and one hand was on my forehead where a bump was already forming. If there was any way to look like more of a fail, I wouldn't know.

I managed to say "Bianca di Angelo," without stuttering.

Will smiled at me sheepishly. "I'm so sorry I caught you off guard! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"I, um, I did this to- to myself," I stuttered. The boy had a slight southern accent like he was from Georgia or North Carolina. And his smile was so damn distracting. I didn't _like _him, for the record, but shy girl plus hot boy doesn't exactly equal a successful conversation.

Will looked at me with concern. "You're stammering a lot," he said, his voice on the panicked side. "Do you think you have a concussion? I can take you to the nurse if you don't think you're okay."

I laughed nervously. "No, I just suck at talking," I said. "And I haven't had a good morning."

"Is that why you threw your phone on the floor?" Will joked. I nodded. If his smile was like the sun, his friendliness was even sunnier.

_Beautiful, Bianca. A+ description. Very poetic. _

I'm complimenting your boyfriend, jackass, stop being snarky.

_You get mad at me for spoiling the Persephone reveal five seconds before you say it, but you give away the biggest spoiler in the entire story! _

It's not a spoiler when everyone can guess it within five minutes of you two meeting each other.

_You didn't! None of our friends did! _

Yeah, well, as they're going to see, we were all kind of busy.

My phone buzzed, and Will saw THE GHOST KING flash as Nico tried to call me. He held the phone up to me, but I shook my head and said, "I don't want to talk to him right now," so he pressed the lock key to silence the phone and put it back on the desk.

"Can I sit?" he asked.

I nodded. He slid in next to me with that infectious grin on his face. I couldn't help but smile a little too, just by being near him. I'm sure Nico knows what I mean. … Oh, if I could describe the face he's making right now.

"Boy trouble?" Will joked. I laughed.

"Oh, I wish," I said, "boys would be easier. No, it's my brother, Nico. He's… he's something else. I love him, but…" I lowered my voice so only Will could hear. I didn't know why, but I trusted him. He was so easy to talk to. "Are there moments you just want to grab someone and scream 'let me help you?!' at the top of your lungs?"

Will nodded. "I've been there," he said. "But, I'll tell you something I've learned: you can't help someone who isn't willing to help themselves." He glanced at my phone, still lit up with Nico's profile picture. "This is him, I assume?" Will asked, pointing to an eight-year-old Nico.

"Yeah," I said. "That's us at _la_ _Canalazzo_, the Venetian Grand Canal. It was back when we lived in Italy." I picked my phone up and scanned the photograph. I'd seen it so many times; I'd memorized the way Mamma's eyes lit up, how Nico's eyes were scrunched mid-laugh, the way my hair flew in the wind like a model's, the hint of Papà's shadow in the water as he stood behind the camera, the smudge of a moving gondola in the back right corner, and the little lens flare that came from the setting sun.

The image faded back to my normal lock screen when Nico was sent to voicemail. "Everything was so innocent then, so perfect," I whispered. I felt a lump forming in my throat.

Will took my hand, a concerned look in his eyes. "Bianca, what's happened to your brother?" he asked. "You can talk to me. I know I just met you, but sometimes strangers are the best listeners."

Class had already started, but Mr. D cared so little that he let us talk through her announcements. In the next twenty minutes, I laid all my fears on Will: the drinking, smoking, and (probably) drugs Nico had done that summer, how Papà had basically given up on him, how Nico had basically given up on _himself _… and Will listened. He was so good with me, I got the sense that he was better with people than even Piper, at least, in his own way.

I told him so when I was done pouring my heart out to him. "I like listening to people and helping them," Will explained. "I'm going to be a psychiatrist one day."

My heart started to pound with adrenaline… I'd gotten the best idea of my life.

"Will," I said slowly, "how would you like your first client?"

Will ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Seeing how I'm a junior in high school without a license, I don't think I can give anyone Adderall yet."

I spoke quickly. "If Nico won't get help, and if I can't help him, why don't we send help _to _him? If you could get past my defenses, I think you could get past Nico's. We'll make it a regular thing, a few times a week, we'll make sure you run into each other for an hour or two. Talk to him, like you would any client." I pulled a fifty dollar bill out of my purse. "There'll be money in it for you," I promised. "We'll only do it for a little while, until he's ready to help himself."

Will eyed the cash. I could tell from his ripped clothes and patched bag that he didn't have much money coming in. I knew it was a slimy thing to do, to bribe a kid to be my brother's friend-slash-secret-therapist, but I didn't see any other option. Will was my last hope.

"When can I meet him?" Will asked hesitantly.

I slipped the fifty into his palm. "Nico usually comes home with Percy and me after swim team and archery practice. I'll get his butt to school during my free. Make sure you're out front by 4:30."

* * *

**END NOTES**

Next week: it's time for some SOLANGELOOOOO

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: Are you actually asking me a question... to the story than that, but solid point.  
MELODY: Me and my siblings 100% of the time.  
LUNA: Bro me too.

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**AlchemyWriter**

_I like your PJO stories, but I've noticed that every time Nico finds a possibility to be happy in your stories, something comes up to ruin it for him. I hope he meets Will soon in this story, because Nico deserves to be happy and Solangelo is my OTP. Can't wait until the next chapter!_

Honestly, you could say that about all my main characters, even in my original works. You should see my musical, _A Deadly Game of Chess_. The main characters Anton and Robyn just CANNOT catch a break. (But more on Deadly Game soon... #foreshadowing). As for Will, looks like you're getting your wish next week!

**Fenikkusu94**

_OMWow! I cannot wait for next Saturday._

Look at that, it's here! Sorry for making you wait until so late at night, but I had work until pretty late.

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_We're only two chapters in, but I love this so much already. the set-up is really cool- you really don't see books like it that often(other than Kane Chronicles). I am a little confused because in chapter 1 Nico says that Hades was actually a god- was he just joking? I love the group text messages and how Percy was fangirling (that auto corrected to fangirl ingredients lol). I can't wait to meet the group in person. and also Nico. he is the very definition of emo and I love it. I really hope there is going to be Soleangelo because that would be amaZhang_

It's funny, _the Kane Chronicles _should've been where my idea came from, but it was honestly just that while I was writing "The Coming of Nico di Angelo" and "The Ghosts of Millennia," one of the biggest annoyances was when to write the character's name and when to write a pronoun. You don't get that problem in scripts, and I'm used to writing scripts. So, when I moved on from that universe, I was like, "You know what? I'm writing in the first person this time dangnabbit!" and that evolved into this.

Wow, that was a long response to a minor part of your comment. Where were we?

Right. Yes, Nico's just joking. This is a fully mortal AU. He's making fun of conspiracy nuts who say those things about Hades. And that group text is probably one of my top three favorite moments in this fic, period. It was so much fun to write. Nico is especially emo in this, agreed. And of course there's going to be solangelo! What do you take me for? :P


	4. Phase One: Where the Fuck Is Nico

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Bianca arranges for Nico and Will to meet.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 3324  
Content Warning: Drug References

This is a kind of serious chapter, so I apologize in advance if it isn't as funny as usual.

I'm also sorry it went over my usual 3K word limit, but I couldn't condense it anymore without cutting important stuff out. I've had much longer chapters in my other fics, though, so I don't think this is the end of the world.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

After Mr. D's class ended, my day got a lot normaler. Normaler? More normal? Whatever.

Point is, there were no super hot new guys I paid to be my brother's secret therapist. I was definitely proud of myself for coming up with that plan. I knew in my heart of hearts that Will was just what Nico needed to get through Papà's marriage to Persephone, and, eventually, me moving away to college. He'd finally have someone to talk to.

By second period, I had come up with my super solid five-point plan:

Introduce Nico to Will.

Stage a few "chance meetings" until...

Will's visits are a regular thing Nico doesn't question.

Get updates from Will in Bio, where Nico can't overhear.

Know exactly how to help him before Nico's too far gone to save.

Step #1 would either be the easiest or the hardest on the list. See, Percy and I went back to my place every day because his swim practice and my archery practice got out at the exact same time. Percy would spend the afternoon at our place, then Sally took him home after she finished making us dinner.

Nico didn't do anything after school, but he hated being at home when I wasn't. Half the time he had detention anyway for talking back to a teacher, smoking on campus, something like that, so he got out around the same time as the sports kids. On the days he didn't, he spent those two hours alone somewhere, doing graffiti, drinking, smoking... aka all the things I didn't like. But he always showed up at the front door at 5:30 to meet Percy and me. It was the only thing I could guarantee.

After third period gym with Coach Hedge, I had free for the long block. So I texted our chauffeur, Jules-Albert, asking if he'd taken Nico anywhere. Of course, the answer was no. That meant step #1 would be significantly harder because there was no way Nico was still at home. He had a few usual haunts, but it would take longer than an hour and a half to search them all. Still, I had to get him to school, not just because it was important, but also so that I could introduce him to Will. I was sure he'd meet me at home after practice-I mean, he knew what time I got back to the house-but there'd be questions if this random kid appeared at our front step with no explanation. If Nico thought he was my friend, there went any chance of him considering him his friend. No, it had to be at school. And it had to be today, before Persephone and Hazel showed up and Nico isolated himself completely.

I opened Nico's texts for the first time. There were half a dozen, all various excuses why he didn't go to school and begging me to talk to him. That's what always happened when I gave him the silent treatment. He clung to me because he needed me. When someone's your world, you can't take silence for long.

I called him. It didn't take more than two rings for Nico to pick up. "I'm mad at you," I said.

"I know," he said. "I'm sorry, B, but I didn't feel well and-"

I cut him off. "You and I both know that's code for 'hungover.' It's your fault, which means you have to face the consequences. School's your job."

"But it sucks," he complained.

"Sometimes you've got to tough it up," I told him. "Where are you? I'll pick you up, I have free." There was silence on the other end. "Nico," I pressed, "do you want me to hang up this phone?"

"No," he grumbled.

"Good," I said." Now tell me where you are, please."

There were another few seconds of static, then he said, "the alley."

I took a quick glance around the hallway. There were still kids coming and going. So, I switched to Italian and hissed, "You're smoking pot again?! I know that's where you meet Alabaster Torrington."

"C. Torrington," he reminded me, "don't forget the C."

Alabaster was his dealer, for lack of a better word. Or maybe it isn't, because I wouldn't put it past him to give Nico other drugs. He was my age, but he'd dropped out of school halfway through sophomore year to run with the Titans, the gang that had taken over most of the slums. Thalia and Leo told me about them all the time. They dealt drugs, robbed banks, gun ran, and got into shootouts with the police and rival gangs. If I were Thalia, Luke, or Leo, I'd fear for my life every single day, living in the middle of their territory.

"Stay there," I said. "I'm coming to get you."

The alley where Nico met Alabaster was on the edge of the Titan's territory. It was far enough from the heart of the slums that it wasn't as dangerous as it could be, but I still low-key feared for my life any time I had to meet Nico there. The last thing I wanted to do was draw attention to myself, so I grabbed an Über instead of using Jules-Albert and his super-obvious limo.

When I got to the alley, the entire place smelled like pot. I told the Über driver to wait, climbed out, shouted, "Inside, now!" and watched Nico get into the car.

We rode back to campus in silence. I saw guilt in Nico's eyes. I couldn't understand it; why would he keep doing this if he always felt guilty? Was it an act so I'd be more lenient when I caught him? Was he addicted? Was it even possible to get addicted to marijuana? What about the guilt he felt when I caught him stealing or vandalizing or cussing out a teacher? You couldn't get addicted to that!

I told the driver to drop us off at the woods on the roadside across from the school. We walked through the trees until I was satisfied that no one could see or hear us. I held my hand out to Nico. He pulled his baggie of pot leaves out of his pocket and gave it to me. I spilled out the contents and ground the leaves into the dirt.

"What's our rule?" I demanded.

Nico got a sudden interest in his sneakers. He mumbled, "No getting high on weekdays."

"I'd rather you do pot than smoke, but this is ridiculous," I told him. "You can't skip school to get high. You can't go to school stoned. You shouldn't be risking your life with Alabaster to get this. And this is the second, no, third week in a row where you've smoked pot every day. If you don't get your shit together, I'm not going to let you do this at all."

"You're not the boss of me," Nico muttered.

I sighed and replied, "But you know I'm right." I squeezed his hand. "I care about you. I want you to be safe." He still didn't look up at me. "Are you high right now?" I asked. He made a "mmm" sound and motioned so-so with his hand. "Good enough," I said. "Let's get back to school, okay?" He shrugged.

He kept his eyes on his feet all the way back to school. I knew why. He only hid from me when he was about to cry.

In silence, we climbed the stone steps to the front door of Half-Blood High. I walked him to his class, pulled him into a hug that he didn't return, begged him to try for me, and watched him step through the door.

The rest of the day, I checked in with Nico whenever I could sneak a text on my phone. He didn't always respond, but I knew that hearing my voice would be enough to keep him going when he was in such a bad place.

_You can't say 'hearing my voice' and 'texting.' They're mutually exclusive._

It's a figure of speech.

_One that makes no sense in this context._

You're just saying this so you sound smart by saying "mutually exclusive."

_Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong. They're not mutually exclusive._

Fine then, Mr. Grammar Police, you want to take over?

_I can't believe you passed up the opportunity to make an "Officer Grammar" joke..._

Dammit! Can we rerecord-

_I told you, one take. It's your fault for saving this for the last minute._

Damn.

* * *

I got through school fine. I felt pretty shitty, being half-high and chewed out by my sister, but I'd promised her I'd get through the afternoon and I was determined to do it. I didn't take that much seriously back then, but Bianca was my exception. I loved her, and when I made a promise, I kept it.

The pot wore off pretty quickly. I'd barely lit up before Bianca called, and I didn't have the stomach to smoke anything after I knew she was on her way. You want to know if I was doing anything hardcore? Yeah, not gonna reveal that shit before the statute of limitations is up. If I get locked up, it's going to be for something more impressive than doing ecstasy, heroin, or whatever.

And no, that's not a confession either.

You're technically revealing you broke the law by underage drinking, smoking, and doing pot in a state where it's still illegal.

Yeah, but they don't throw you in jail for that.

Whether or not I was doing any of that other shit, back then, I needed something extra to face the world. What I had? Depression doesn't cut it. It was like the universe or god or whatever was against me and every goddamn day I had to be stronger than Hercules to get out of bed. No one liked me or believed in me. The only exception-the only thing that kept me going-was Bianca. I was terrified one day she'd wake up and realize I was a loser too... but she never did.

_And I never will._

That didn't stop me from worrying about it. And that wasn't the only thought in my head that I couldn't control. There were so many demons whispering in my ear that I listened. I gave up.

Walking home with Percy and Bianca was both the best and worst part of my day. I dreaded it the entire day, but as it got closer my heart would pound with excitement. Why? Simple. I had a massive crush on Percy Jackson.

"But isn't he straight?" you ask.

And I answer: exactly.

I wasn't out to anyone, not even Bianca. I was ashamed, terrified, I felt like something was wrong with me. While Papà made sure we got our privacy, the press was usually sniffing around, and I could only imagine the headlines about Hades di Angelo's queer son. He would disown me for all the bad press, and the kids in school would beat me to a pulp. I would've given anything to stop feeling that way, to stop dreaming about Percy dumping Annabeth and saying he'd never loved her or anyone but me. I'd catch myself staring at him and get this rock in my stomach, this pain that wouldn't go away no matter what I did.

Even Bianca would say that Percy was the only one that could make me smile. I hoped she'd never find out why.

I got detention for being so late to class-no good deed goes unpunished-so I sat staring at nothing for two hours until they let me go. At 5:30 on the dot I was outside the building. I fixed my hair and clothes like I always did-had I even brushed my hair this morning? Probably not.-And then I smelled my breath on the off-chance Percy'd declare his love for me and kiss me. Like that was ever gonna happen.

I finally saw him in the distance. I told myself to be cool. My arms suddenly felt awkward hanging at my side-who invented arms, anyway?

That's when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

I jumped. "Ow!" they said. "You socked me in the nose!"

I turned, ready to deliver an A+ comeback about invading my personal space, but when I saw his face, the words caught in my throat. He had the blondest hair I'd ever seen, the tannest skin, the bluest eyes, the whitest smile. He looked like an actor or model. Those eyes... I couldn't stop staring at those eyes. I had a sudden urge to run my hand through his hair.

That's so stupid, I told myself. I don't even know him.

"What?" the hot boy asked.

"Shit! Did I say that out loud?" I asked. I could feel my cheeks getting hot.

The boy cocked his head to the side, thinking. "Well, I heard words come out of your mouth, so you must've said that out loud, but, since I couldn't hear what those words were, I'm ready to pretend that no words were said."

I stared at him blankly. "Umm... thanks?" I managed.

The boy grinned at me. "No problemo."

"Never say that again," I deadpanned.

The boy laughed. "Yeah, I sound like a dork. I'm not, I promise."

I heard Percy shout my name. I waved at him; my heart started to pound in my chest. "I gotta go," I said.

"Wait!" the boy cried, desperate enough that it stopped me in my tracks. I was dumbfounded. Why would he want to talk to me?

_Would you cut the 'the boy' crap, Nico? They know it's Will._

Fiiiine. Will it is.

Before I could say anything, Bianca came running up to me, breathless. "Nico!" she cried. "Sorry I'm late, practice ran over."

I raised my eyebrows. "You're not late," I said. "It's like five minutes past 5:30."

She just smiled at me through her panting. She waved to Percy, which turned his walk across the lawn into a jog. I did my best not to stare. I failed.

"Will?" Bianca asked, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"You know him?" I asked.

"Lab partner," Will explained. "Funny seeing you here, Bianca!" I couldn't help but smile a little when he said that. It was so awkward it became cool again. But I quickly wiped it off my face. Why was I smiling over some stupid stranger?

"What's up?" Bianca asked.

"I'm..." he glanced at me nervously, but it was so quick that I assumed I'd seen things. "I'm, uh, stranded. Here. Um... my dad's holed up at work, and..." his voice trailed off.

"I'm here!" Percy announced. "What's up?" Bianca introduced Will and explained the situation. "We can drop you off?" Percy offered.

"Yeah!" I agreed readily, eager to catch Percy's attention. "Where do you live?"

"It's too far from here," Will protested.

"Then come home with us!" Bianca offered. "Your dad can pick you up at our place."

It was a little weird to me that Bianca jumped to that so quickly, but she was such a caring person, and if she wasn't tripping over her words she had to know him well enough to know that he wasn't a serial killer. So, I went along with it.

Jules-Albert picked us up a few minutes later. Will's eyes widened when he saw the stretch limo. He literally gasped when he went inside. "Is that velvet?" he asked, running a hand over the seats.

"I know, dude, I know," Percy said, patting Will on the back. "I felt like that the first time, too. You never get used to it."

"Help yourself to anything," Bianca said. "Water?" She held a water bottle out to him. Will chugged it in seconds flat.

At first I tried to talk a little-mostly for Bianca's sake, she hated it when I was antisocial-but something sapped the life out of me again. And, for once in my life, it wasn't Percy. I don't believe in love at first sight, but from the moment I saw Will, I liked him. Our conversation hadn't been much, but it had been the best moment of my day. There was something to that smile that lit up my world. Deep down, I wanted to get lost in those eyes and never be found again.

The problem? I'd seen the way Bianca's eyes were lighting up when he spoke to her. I'd seen the way Will was constantly fidgeting and grinning at her. He hadn't taken his eyes off her once during the entire ride. I knew this was why Bianca was so eager to invite him over. If they weren't dating already, they would be soon.

I'd fallen for another straight and taken guy... this time, taken by my own sister.

Jules-Albert parked the limo and opened the door for us. Will's shoulder brushed against mine as we shuffled out of the car. I pretended not to notice the tiny spark at the point of contact. There was no way he felt it too.

The moment I climbed out of the limo I wanted to crawl back in. Because in front of me was a moving truck. A few men carried boxes into our mansion, directed by a familiar face. Jet black hair pulled into a ponytail, brown skin even darker than normal from being baked in the sun. Her usual dirty jeans, long-sleeved t-shirt, sneakers, and gloves were replaced with a white sundress and flip-flops.

She turned when Jules-Albert slammed the door closed. She smiled and waved as she walked over to us, but, to me, it looked like the snarl of a she-wolf. "It's wonderful to see you guys! How was school?" she chirped. "Don't worry, my mother isn't here. Hazel's already inside if you want to say hi."

Will held his hand out to her. "Will Solace. I'm new. What's your name?"

She laughed. "Aren't you cute! You don't have to be so formal. I'm Persephone Levesque, Bianca and Nico's soon-to-be stepmother."

My vision went red. I can't tell you all the things I wanted to say to her... but Percy, Bianca, and Will were all standing right there. I didn't want Bianca to be disappointed with me, and I sure as fuck wanted to make a good impression on Percy and Will. So I bit my tongue and stomped away.

I passed through the kitchen on my way to my room. Hazel sat at the breakfast bar munching on some cheese and crackers. She tried to say hi, but I just rolled my eyes at her and pushed through without a word.

It wasn't until I got to the stairs that I started to run. Why was our house so big? There were too many hallways from the kitchen to my room.

I slammed the door shut and blasted the first song that showed up on my phone. I grabbed the first thing I saw-an empty bottle of vodka-screamed, and threw it at the wall. It shattered into pieces.

I opened a new bottle and chugged it until my insides felt like they were on fire. I grabbed the only picture I had of Papà off my nightstand: him and me with Bianca the day she woke up from the coma. "How could you do this to me?!" I shouted. I punched the glass frame until it broke and ripped him out of the photo. I pulled out my cigarette lighter. One little click and my father burned to ashes.

_Nico! You could've set the house on fire! Are you kidding me?_

...

*A deep breath*

I watched the flames gobble the photo as my mind drifted back to a different fire, the one on the plane that took Mamma away.

Bianca was happy. Papà had moved on. New singers had become the face of D.O.A. Recording Studios. Was I the only one who still remembered Maria di Angelo?

* * *

**END NOTES**

Persephone's meant to be Persian, Arab, something in that general area.

If you've read my other fics, you know why Nico's dealer was Alabaster and not one of the other bad guys. And if you don't know who Alabaster is, he's a son of Hecate who served in Kronos's army. He's in a short story called "the Son of Magic" in the Demigod Diaries.

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: [Nico] spent those two hours alone somewhere, doing graffiti, drinking, smoking... aka all the things I didn't like.  
JOJO: lmao i love how clueless B sounds about what the 'troubled kids' get up to  
MELODY: Yeah, she's not the one who sounds clueless. I'm a goody-two-shoes who's never even seen underage drinking before. HELP MEEEEE  
JOJO: hahaha that's perfect for her though

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**AlchemyWriter**

_Wooo! Solangelo!_

And, as you can see, more to come!

**Fenikkusu94**

_I'm a little late on reading this. But this was pure poetry. I loved it. I cant wait for cinnamamon roll Nico. TeeHee__._

Aw, thank you for the compliment. I'm glad you liked it! And you'll get plenty of Nico in the story to come, trust me.

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_Jason is so cute when he's flustered about Piper! I love them and they are so underrated! I have only had Will for one chapter, but I will kill everyone and then myself if something happens to him. (good job if you get that reference). Let me just say that I am like 98% sure that in this fic, Bianca would be a Slytherin. I can't wait for the next chapter of this and/or Ghosts of the Millenia (I think I spent that wrong) I live it so much!_

I know, right?! I love Jason/Piper so so so much. Lol, I'm glad to see I did Will justice. I did not get that reference, unfortunately. I think Bianca would be a Slytherin too, just like Nico. (Also I fixed the formatting issue you found last chapter)


	5. Bianca's No Good Very Bad Day

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

More trouble arises during Bianca's first week of school.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2660  
Content Warning: None

I'm posting today because I'm spending tomorrow with my boyfriend and I don't think I'll have time to post.

And, welcome back Oli as a beta! Super excited to have her back now that her school's over.

So, I forgot to post last week. I actually do have a good reason why, though. I've been incredibly busy setting this up...

Some of you have kept saying I should be a writer. Well, you're getting your wish! Coming June 30th: A Deadly Game of Chess, a new musical written and composed by me and produced by Rose and Matik Productions, my new production company! If you live in or around Fairfield, CT, you should totally come to the show. It's also a charity fundraiser for Circle of Friends, who works with special needs kids and adults to give them social interaction, jobs, and a support system they don't often get. Tickets are $15, $10 for kids/students under 21. DVDs are $15.

Our website is adeadlygameofchess .com, and you can buy tickets at this link (fairfieldtheatre .org shows/stageone/deadly-game-chess). We're also on FaceBook, Instagram, and Twitter as adeadlygameofchess. And if you can't come but you want a DVD of the show, please contact me at director roseandmatik .com.

Here's the synopsis:

London, 1938.

The 19-year-old Anton Lehrer has found a home after years on the run. But, when his best friend Robyn returns from an extended stay in New York, she discovers just how fake his perfect life is. What starts as a offer of help quickly spirals out of control as these two master manipulators turn their friends to chess pieces and truth itself into a weapon. Everyone has a dark secret to hide. You can't outrun who you are... especially when the one you love has a knife to their throat. (for ages 12 and up)

Please come if you can, and get a DVD if you can't! The more people I can share this with, the more likely I'll be able to put it on again, and the more likely I'll be able to pursue this career professionally.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

* * *

I'm going to take over now, Nico.

_Go ahead. _

So the beginning of phase two didn't go according to plan. When Nico ran into the house, Will made a move to go after him, but Percy held him back. "You need to give him time to cool off," he explained.

Persephone looked hurt, but, to her credit, she didn't say anything more than, "Hades warned me he'd be tough. Why don't you three go inside; I'll make sure the movers stay out of your way."

So, we did. Will gawked at everything he saw. I knew he didn't have a lot of money; this was probably the first time he'd ever been inside a mansion. We made our way into the kitchen, where Hazel was munching on some cheese and crackers. Her eyes were glued to the laptop in front of her, and there were headphones in her ears.

I waved at her to get her attention. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. She pulled the earbuds out and ran to give me a hug. "Bianca! It's been so long!"

I laughed. "It's good to see you, Hazel. Still making your way through _The Hunger Games_?"

"Yup!" she said gleefully. "I'm on the last few chapters of _Mockingjay_-I'll let you know when I'm done, I'm so excited to talk about it with you! Peeta's character arc is-" she cut herself off. She looked at Percy and Will with guilt. "I'm so sorry, I'm excluding you from the conversation. I'm Hazel."

Percy and Will introduced themselves. Then Sally walked in, made some pleasant conversation, and sent the three of us away to do our homework. We set up camp on the living room floor and took turns reading from _Adams vs. Jefferson: the Election of 1800_. It was the most boring book I'd ever read; I swear it scarred me for life. It was just like Mrs. Dodds to give us a book report in the first week of term. After an hour, Sally called us in for dinner. I went to grab Nico.

To my surprise, his bedroom door was half open. I stepped inside, and a half-empty bottle of vodka confirmed my suspicions-he'd been drinking. Concerned, I rushed to the bathroom where I found my brother kneeling in front of the toilet, throwing up. I pushed the hair from his face and said words of encouragement. It didn't take long from him to finish. While he washed out his mouth, I shot a quick text to Percy explaining the situation and saying neither of us was going to make it to dinner.

"Can you walk?" I asked. Nico shrugged, his eyes half closed. "I'm going to take that as a no." I closed the bathroom door. "Take off those clothes, Nico, I promise I won't look. I'll get the water running for a bath. We'll clean you off and get you to bed." I grabbed a plastic cup from the closet and filled it with water. "Drink, and when you're done, fill it back up. I don't want you to get a hangover tomorrow."

He didn't argue. I washed his hair for him, helped him brush his teeth, and got him into his pajamas. It was slow work; Nico was really drunk and helpless. I decided he'd sleep in my room tonight-I had a second bed for when my friends spent the night. He passed out by 8:30. Will and Percy were gone by then, and Hazel and Persephone were already in their rooms. Papà, as usual, was nowhere to be seen. I took my food and backpack to my room to eat and finish my homework while keeping an eye on Nico. He threw up again around two a.m.. It goes without saying that I didn't get much sleep that night.

"Nico?" I called. He responded with a grunt. "I'll help you, _mio fratello _, but you have to go to school today."

It took us longer than usual to get up and get out the door. Jules-Albert got us to school right when the warning bell went off. I walked Nico to class, told him to be good, and headed to bio.

"How is he?" Will asked when I got to my desk.

"Hungover again, but all right," I said. "Sorry about that. That was... a lot, even for him."

Mr. D started class. I made my way through the day with a splitting headache. I thought about taking a nap during lunch, but my phone kept going off.

* * *

WISE GIRL 

**Crisis in the caf. Get here asap.**

* * *

All I wanted to do was sleep. I _needed _to sleep. But my friends also needed me...

I'm on my way.

When I got to our usual table, I found Annabeth and Percy in a heated debate. All I caught was Annabeth saying, "Because you _can't do that _, Percy, that's why!"

"Yes I can!" Percy protested.

"Can't do what?" I asked.

Percy shushed me. "Not so loud! I don't want the queen bee to hear us."

"Queen bee?" I asked, confused.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Piper. He's insisting on codenames."

_Of course, _I thought. I turned to Percy. "And beauty queen doesn't work because...?"

"She already knows that name!" Percy hissed.

I sighed. "You still haven't answered my question. What can't you do?"

Annabeth crossed her arms. She gave Percy a sideways glance and said, "He wants to throw a party at Jason's house so Jason can ask out Piper."

"Why does it have to be a party?" I asked. "You're not planning to get him drunk, are you?"

"No!" Percy protested. "And it has to be a party because if we plan a party, we have time to come up with a plan to get them alone. We can control all the variables. You can't do that at school."

I raised my eyebrows. "Umm... 'control all the variables?' "

"He's been watching a lot of cop shows," Annabeth explained. "Point is, you can't force this. Jason has to do it on his own. He's not a guinea pig."

"I don't think it's such a bad idea," I said. "Well... not the 'control all the variables' part, but the party. He'll be more relaxed when he's not at school. It might work. One condition, though." Percy gestured for me to go on. "I want to do it at my place, not Jason's. That's the only way Nico will come, and I want him to socialize a bit. And I want to bring Will too."

"Done," Percy said.

Annabeth wasn't convinced, not by a longshot, but she agreed anyway.

The next event in the neverending drama that is my life came at archery practice. I was on the late side-again, super tired-so when I got there, Zoë, Phoebe, Naomi, and Celyn were already chatting. I threw my backpack on the grass and joined them.

Zoë was going on about something some stupid boy said in her African Studies class. She was on an 'all men are idiots' phase. The spring before she'd started dating this guy, Heracles, even had sex with him (it was her first time), but he broke up with her less than a month later. We found out he'd been using Zoe to cheat on his girlfriend Meg, and Zoë was crushed. Ever since, in her eyes, all men were slime, and nothing anyone said would convince her otherwise.

Coach Artemis came onto the field, "All right girls, let's get started!" she called.

"Hold on!" Celyn said. "Where's Thalia?"

She was right, Thalia was nowhere to be seen. That was really weird, because as captain of the archery team, she made a point to always be on time and ready to go. She hadn't missed a practice in forever.

"Was she at school today?" Coach Artemis asked.

"Yeah, I sat with her at lunch," I said. "She looked fine, too, definitely not sick. Let me shoot her a text, hold on." I ran to my backpack and pulled out my phone. We waited for a response for almost ten minutes. Nothing.

Coach Artemis decided we'd start without her. But no matter how many drills we ran or arrows we shot, our game was off. We were all worried about Thalia; this wasn't like her at all. Coach Artemis gave us a stern talk about not losing focus, then let us out at 5:30. I made my way to Nico and Percy. I didn't talk in the limo, I just stared at my phone, waiting for the little "delivered" to turn to "read." I shot her another text, but still nothing. I called her, but I got voicemail.

Nico asked me if everything was all right, and so I explained about Thalia. Percy was good friends with her too, so he was as worried as I was. "Do you think it's Luke?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said. "If it is... I wish she'd dump the bastard. I don't know why she's staying with him with all the trouble he gets into. Like, how much money has she spent on bail? It's insane."

"She's in love," Nico said. "Love makes you stupid. Look at Percy."

"Hey!" Percy protested. He playfully punched Nico in the arm. Nico jumped a little.

I didn't sleep easy that night. My dreams were full of Thalia and Luke with a bit of Nico and Persephone mixed in there. It had only been three days since Papà told us about Persephone. How could so much go wrong in three days?

At least Wednesday morning I could go back to my normal routine. No waking up in Papà's bed, no hungover Nico that I had to take care of. I showered, got dressed, brushed my teeth, dragged Nico out of bed, and made my way downstairs to help Sally with breakfast.

"You look exhausted," Sally said.

I laughed. "Good morning to you too." Sally was almost finished with the fruit salad, so I started on Papà's coffee. "Life's been crazy," I told her. "What with the whole Persephone thing. And Nico's been acting out, running into Will, there's some drama with Jason and Piper, and now something's wrong with Thalia but I don't know what." I ground the coffee beans a bit harder than I should've. Sally gently pushed me away.

"Sit down, and try to relax," she said. "Things will work themselves out. And I'd rather you not break the French press."

I made it to the dining room in time for Hazel to join me. If it was possible, she actually looked worse than I did. "Hey, is everything okay?" I asked her.

She nodded. "I'm fine, just tired. I didn't think high school would be this hard," she said. Her phone went off. She checked it, and her face lit up. It wasn't hard to guess why.

Hazel typed her response while she walked to the table. When she sat, I nudged her and said, "Okay, who's the boy?"

She put her phone on the table. "His name's Frank Zhang. He's a friend of Reyna's, they were in Latin together last year, and now he's in my gym class, and..." she couldn't finish her sentence, she was smiling so hard.

"Bring him over sometime," I said. "I want to make sure he's right for my little sister before you do anything... _drastic_."

Hazel giggled. "Little sister?"

"Our parents are getting married, which means you're my sister now."

Her smile faltered and her eyes fell to the table. "Nico doesn't think so."

I squeezed her hand. "Listen, Hazel, he's taking all this pretty hard. It's not you. He'll warm up to you, I promise. Think positive; you're good at that. And-" I leaned in and grinned mischievously. "-we're having a party on Friday. Bring Reyna and Frank. I get to meet them, you get to spend time with Frank, and Nico will be there, so you can get to know him too. He'll be less, um, angry at the party." Her phone went off again. I let her answer it, then asked, "Is Persephone around?"

Hazel shook her head. "She's still got the gardening business, we have early-morning clients. She'll be back for dinner."

"Okay," I said. "Speaking of, how are you guys settling in?"

"I'm getting there, but it's a shock," Hazel admitted. "I'm used to a house with five rooms and a tiny yard and a single car. We didn't even have a living room because Grandma needed her own bedroom when she moved in." She gestured to the table. "And our table was in the kitchen 'cause we didn't have a dining room. All this, it's pretty overwhelming."

"I remember when we moved from Italy to the U.S.," I said. "Obviously it was a different kind of culture shock, but I do remember how hard it was to adjust. Give it time, and you'll start to think of this place as home. I know it's big, but it won't _feel _so big after a little while. We'll fill it up with love."

I heard a phone beep. I looked at Hazel, but she told me it was mine. I glanced at the phone. Thank god, it was Thalia.

* * *

DAT PINE TREE DOH 

**Hey, sorry I've been silent. I had some stuff going on yesterday and had to leave right after school. I'll be at practice today promise.**

What kind of stuff?

**Long story, I'll tell you later.**

Was it Luke?

**No. Other stuff. Don't worry about it, it's not BAD it's just stuff.**

K I trust you.

BTW, we're having a party this Friday at my place. You wanna come?

**(...)**

**(...)**

**Luke?**

* * *

I thought for a moment. I didn't want to see the douchebag, but I had the feeling she wouldn't go without him, and the party would be the best time to talk to her.

Sure, you can bring him. Don't want his friends though. Papà will kill me if the house gets wrecked, and you know Ethan and Chris.

**Done. See you later.**

See you :)

* * *

Sally brought me Papà's lunch. Back to my usual morning. I dropped by the office, kissed him hello, packed his work bag for him, and reminded him of his 3 o'clock meeting with Charon. When he was out the door, I grabbed Nico, gave him his breakfast, and dragged his ass into the limo. Jules-Albert drove the two of us and Hazel to school. She went off to Frank and Reyna, and Nico and I went into the caf to join our friends at the usual table. We (as in my friends and I) chatted (thankfully) about the party, pure fluff, until the bell went off. Nico spent the entire time on his phone, earbuds firmly planted in his ears. When the bell rang, I made my way to bio and invited Will to the party.

"You'll be my date," I joked.

He laughed. "Sure, I'll pick you up at eight."

I rolled my eyes. "It's my house, jackass."

He gave a cheeky grin. "I know. I'll come home with you after school-I need more limo in my life."

The rest of the day flew by without anything dramatic happening. Papà signed off on the party-Percy practically jumped for joy-Nico actually ate dinner, and we finished our homework without much trouble. I actually got to bed early-ish.

Thursday went the same way. Then Friday. By the time practice was wrapping up, I actually let myself hope that the party would go smoothly. Maybe Nico would actually talk to Hazel. Maybe Jason would finally ask Piper out.

But I should've realized my luck wouldn't last.

_Wonderful, Bianca. More twist. Much suspense. Shyamalan called, he's suing you for copyright infringement. _

*Bianca laughs*

_Tune in next week for the continuing adventures of Bianca di Angelo! And by next week I mean literally a few seconds! Because this is an audio recording, not a T.V. show! _

Even if it feels like one.

**END NOTES**

For the record, I'm not going to justify them all having Greek names. It's just a world where lots of people have Greek names.

(I know I made that joke about Hades' name in chapter one but beyond that I'm probably not going to justify anymore. I just thought that joke was funny.)

Remember, if you want to come to my show or get a DVD, the info is above!

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: "Let me shoot her a text, hold on." I ran to my backpack and pulled out my phone. We waited for a response for almost ten minutes.  
JOJO: do kids these days really go to such lengths to not make a phone call  
MELODY: I don't but some people do.  
OLI: people definitely text at least 10 times before finally trying to call XD

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

Thank you to **kaily-xxx**, **RestlessSoul100** and **ZiaRashid12 **for favoriting this story!

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_I ***love this! I love the reference to your other stories with Alabaster. poor Nico, crushing on all the "straight" guys. I honestly love the soleanglo, though. Nico describing Will was so ***cute! the end made me a little sad and I just wanted to give my little cinnamon roll a big ass hug_

_Is Nico going to go down the path of TCoNdA and go into self harm and all that ***_

_and also the reference in the last chapter's comment is a modified quote from the tv show Brooklyn 99 (highly recommend, it is so funny)_

Thank you, I couldn't go without mentioning one of my favs. I love solangelo too, so I'm glad you liked what we got in there (and yes, poor Nico, don't worry bby, you'll find out just how "straight" Will is soon enough.) I think Nico needs a hug, too.

No, this story is nowhere near as dark as TCoNdA or TGoM. A) I needed something lighter after those two, and B) I don't like to repeat myself. I won't say never, but it's unlikely Nico will be self-harming in a story again, at least for a long time.

Thanks for the explanation, I'll have to check it out!

**ZiaRashid12**

_Omg, your writing is so freaking good. I'm smiling hugely because Solangelo is so cute!_

I'm glad you like it! Yeah, I needed something cute and good after how dark my other fics were.


	6. Nico, Stop Butting In

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

The party, part one.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2860  
Content Warning: None

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

Right, so, the party.

I met Percy and Nico at the usual spot when practice ended. I was running a little late, so Jules-Albert was already waiting for us. Percy was getting into the limo. I yelled at them to wait as I sprinted to the car.

"You didn't have to run," Nico said, "it's not like we're going to leave without you. It's just fucking hot, and you were taking forever."

"It's not _me _I'm worried about," I said. "We're waiting on one more."

_Can I butt in? _

You've never asked before. ... Yes, Nico, that means yes.

_I knew she meant Will. My heart sank-that was the second time in a week she'd brought the guy over. Sure, Bianca brought friends back to our place, but not this often, at least not during the week. "School's important," blah blah blah. If it **was**_ _Will, they were closer than I realized on Monday. They were already on their way to being a couple. And that hurt. At least I didn't have to watch Percy and Annabeth get together in front of my face... and at least I could think about them breaking up without feeling so guilty... but this was my sister. If anyone deserved to be happy, she did. Any time Will crossed my mind-and, even with my expert denial skills, that had happened a lot that week-I felt awful. This was Bianca's happy ending. I knew I'd never get one of those. _

And Will and I didn't make the situation better.

_You didn't know. _

I know I didn't know, but that doesn't mean I can't feel bad about it.

So, I told Nico we were waiting on one more. I didn't realize how crushing that was to him. He was good at hiding his emotions. He stiffened slightly, enough that I noticed, but no one else on the planet would've been able to tell. I didn't say anything, though. Stupid me assumed he was nervous about the party.

_I didn't know about the party yet, smart one. _

Yeah... not my best moment.

"Will, right?" Nico asked. I nodded.

_And my heart broke so bad I decided I was never going to talk to him again. It was the only way to keep this from becoming another Percy situation. _

Will flew down the hill, breathless. My mom instincts kicked in, and just in time, too. He was going down the stairs way too fast, so, of course, he tripped, and would've smacked his head on the concrete if I wasn't there to catch him. "Easy," I said, "we're not going to leave without you."

Will was panting hard. "Thanks... sorry... I..." he took a second to catch his breath. "I have this thing about being late. It's rude."

* * *

_Okay, we're back online. _

What happened?

_Logic Pro crashed. It gets touchy when you go over the two-hour mark. _

What were we at?

_122 minutes. I opened a new file; I'll edit them together later. Um... let me playback, see where we were. I'm gonna turn the mic off, one sec- _

* * *

_Will showed up. _

Kay, we didn't lose much, then. So, um... yeah. Will showed up, and we got into the limo. It wasn't until then that Percy and I finally broke and told Nico about the party. I wanted to do it in front of Percy because, well, Percy had a bit of a calming effect on Nico. He usually didn't act out as much when he was around. I didn't realize it was because he had a crush. I assumed Nico just looked up to him, you know? Idolized him a bit? They'd known each other since Nico was ten. I figured it was the same kind of situation Hazel and I had-this older person who you've known most of your life and want to impress.

Nico, like I hoped, didn't start grumbling or yelling about the party. He nodded, said, "Ok, fine, whatever," and threw some headphones in his ears. That was pretty much the best I could've hoped for.

_Yeah, but, inside, I was freaking out. Watch my sister get together with my new crush while the straight guy I was in love with got drunk and made out with his girlfriend? That's __exactly_ _what I needed! _

Would you stop being sarcastic?

_I'm a sarcastic little shit and proud. Lay off. _

Nico ran into his room the moment his feet touched the ground. I told Percy and Will to throw their stuff down. I did the barebones of my usual Friday activities. The rest I could save for tomorrow.

I came into the kitchen just in time to catch Sally. "Be good," she was telling Percy. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"_Mom_," he complained.

"It's only because I love you," she said. She kissed him on the cheek, told me to have a good weekend, and headed out the door.

I sent Percy and Will to get ready for the party in Percy's usual guest room, then I went to check on Hazel. She was still in her school clothes. She'd laid five different outfits on her new bed, but I guess none of them looked right. "Busy night?" I asked.

Hazel nodded. Then, a Puerto Rican girl popped her head out of the closet and said, "Who are you?"

I screamed. The two of them burst out laughing. "She didn't mean to scare you!" Hazel cried. She ran over and hugged me. "Hi, Bianca! How was school?"

"Good," I said, still a little breathless. I turned to Hazel's friend. "I'm guessing you're Reyna?"

Reyna came all the way out of the closet.

_*Nico snickers.* Get it? 'Cause she's gay? _

I wasn't making a- she literally- Nico, stop laughing!

_I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Continue. _

Reyna's... intimidating, even for a freshman. She has these sharp eyes that look like they could, like, reap your soul. She has this proud way of doing things, this self-confidence that makes everyone jump out of her way. And if you _didn't_, well, let's just say she's a black belt and has no time for the people who piss her off.

_Isn't there that whole rule about never fighting unless you need to? _

Again, it's just a saying! Wait... you're stalling again.

_I can neither confirm nor deny this. Although I want to go on record saying that this was one of the worst nights of my life and I should get fucking credit for helping you do this. _

I already thanked him a bunch of times, guys. Told him he didn't have to do this either, but he's the one who said yes. Which means it's totally unfair for you to hold this over my head.

_Now who's the one stalling? _

I'm rolling my eyes.

Reyna explained that Hazel was freaking out a bit because she wanted to look nice for Frank. Reyna's not exactly a tomboy, but she isn't into the makeover kind of thing. She's like... I don't know, Xena: Warrior Princess. So, I told Reyna to get herself ready, then I pulled Hazel into my room. It was time for us to have a bit of sister bonding time.

"None of your clothes are going to fit me," Hazel pointed out.

Instead of answering her, I pulled a plastic zip bag from the shelf above my closet. "Clothes from when _I _was a freshman," I said. "I keep meaning to run this to Goodwill, but there's never any time. Look through it. See what you like. General rule: whites, golds, and dark purples work best with dark skin tones."

We went through them together, laughing at the bands I used to listen to and that one collared-shirt phase I had in eighth grade. We even came across this floppy green hat I'd bought a few weeks before the plane crash.

_Gee, what a thing to say. Do you think it's, I dunno, foreshadowing? _

Shhh. I'm trying to find that picture of Hazel on my phone. ... Here it is.

We found a gorgeous off-the-shoulder top, dark purple, but so dark it looked almost black. It had a scoop neck, with an attached collar that looped around like a necklace and buttoned in the front. The button was a silver pendant with a diamond set in the middle. We paired it with a set of light faded jeans and flats.

I told her she looked beautiful. She was smiling too much to say anything back.

It took me about an hour to get my clothes on and hair and makeup done. The music was already blaring when I was ready to go. My hair was braided and pushed to one shoulder, then I put a diamond clip in my hair, crescent shape, and matching diamond crescent earrings. I wore a white shirt, silver jacket, silvery camo pants, and black combat boots. It was my favorite outfit. That's how I got my nickname, 'the Huntress.' My friends always said I looked like a markswoman in it. And that's why I loved it-it gave me confidence.

_We should talk about that. Our friends all have stupid nicknames- _

No stalling, Nico. We're on a time limit, remember? I'll get to the nicknames if they become relevant. A lot of them have a long story behind them, and we don't have time.

At that point, Percy had already got the party well on its way. Will, Hazel, and Reyna were already downstairs too, from what I could tell. Papà had taken Persephone out to dinner. He'd warned Percy and I that he'd be back by two a.m. and if the party was still going, if the house was destroyed, or he smelled alcohol, I'd be grounded for life and Percy would be permanently banned from our house. Point is, I knew where everyone else was, except Nico.

I knocked on his door. He opened it. He looked exactly like he had at school. I sighed and elbowed my way into his room. I grabbed him a clean shirt, the aviator jacket I'd bought him for Christmas, and the only pair of black skinny jeans he owned that didn't have holes in them. "On," I said. "And brush your hair. And teeth, this place smells like weed. You can keep the sneakers, I like them. Up. Now." He groaned at me. "You are _going _to have fun, even if I make you," I pressed. "I'm going downstairs. If I don't see you in ten minutes, I'll drag you down myself."

Another incoherent groan.

As soon as I got to the stairs, I ran into Will. "Just the guy I wanted to see," I said. "Having fun?"

We chatted a bit; as usual, I smiled all the way through it. I was glad to have a friend like him and even more glad that Nico would. He was smart, funny, dorky, and had the biggest heart I'd ever seen. My own confidence grew whenever I spoke to him-I'd never become such good friends with a stranger before; normally, it took weeks to get past my defenses. He'd done it in seconds.

"Nico should be down any minute," I told Will. "Look for the aviator jacket." I discreetly slipped him a fifty. I didn't need any rumors spreading; I knew what Half-Blood high could come up with. "Enjoy yourself, but make sure Nico has fun too," I told him. "And, if possible, try to get him to talk to Hazel. Just for an hour, then you're free to do whatever."

"Got it, no problem," Will said as he slipped the money in his pocket.

I kissed him on the cheek, and said, "Thank you. You're going to be a huge help, I know it." And, no, still not in a romantic way. It's an Italian thing, so lay off.

It took me a little longer to find Percy. We had an open invitation, so a lot of kids were currently at my place. I was keeping my eyes out for alcohol, but, luckily, I didn't find any. I don't think I had it in me to kick anyone out, but that was where Nico came in. Most of the school was afraid of him, and he can be _mean _when he wants to be.

My phone buzzed.

* * *

THE ORACLE

**PERCY'S DOING THE THING SEND HELP PLEASE**  
**I CAN'T REACH ANNABETH OR GROVER**

I'm on it. Where is he?

**TCPT**

* * *

TCPT is short for "the conveniently placed tree." That's a _really _long story. TL;DR, it's a pine tree outside my house. Thalia was mad at Percy (that happens a lot), so I told her to hide so she wouldn't start something. Where to hide in the middle of a lawn? The conveniently placed tree. The rest is history... and how she got her nickname.

There, you see Nico? We got into the backstory of two, mine and Thalia's. I'll even give you two more: Percy's an idiot sometimes and on the swim team, and Annabeth is basically Einstein if he was a girl.

I made my way outside. Percy, Jason, Rachel, and Piper were talking by the tree. By the looks of it, Jason was about to start hyperventilating again, and Piper was getting annoyed. I cursed under my breath. If she got angry and left, it was all over.

"Percy! There you are!" I shouted. The four of them stopped talking, thank god. "Hey, Jason, Leo's looking for you."

"Nah," Percy said, "He's with Cally."

Cally, full name Calypso, was his on-again-off-again girlfriend. Well, less girlfriend, more fuckbuddy, but they argued so much that half the time they weren't even that. I had to guess the sex was, like, the best thing ever, because, otherwise, I had no idea why he stayed with that girl.

"They had another fight," I said. "He's looking for you, Jason, why don't you go find him?"

"I- I'd better do that," Jason stammered.

"And, Piper, maybe you could help, too? Talk some sense into him? You're good with relationship stuff," I prompted.

"Sure," she said. She gave Percy one more annoyed look. Jason mouthed 'thank you' to me, and the two were on their way.

I shot Leo a quick text explaining the situation, prayed that he'd see it before Jason and Piper found him, and turned back to Percy. "What. Did. You. Do?" I demanded.

"All I said was that Jason should climb the tree!" Percy protested.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"He's all athletic, so when Piper's impressed he'll have the balls to ask her out," Percy said.

I rubbed my temples. That week was too much.

"How did you even come up with that?" Rachel asked. "Percy, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Just get them alone together, and keep getting them alone until Jason gets more comfortable."

"So, what Bianca did..." Percy realized. "Oh."

"I don't have time for this," I said. "Percy, I love you, but I need to do some sleuthing of my own-Thalia and Luke are around here somewhere. Rachel... make sure he doesn't fuck this up, okay?"

"Let's dance, seaweed brain," Rachel said.

"You sound like Annabeth," Percy joked. "But, I guess I like you. Sure, let's go."

Now alone, I texted Zoë, Phoebe, Naiomi, and Celyn, asking them to help me find Thalia and Luke. After a bit of searching, Naiomi overheard Octavian mention that they'd gone upstairs. We met at the top of the back stairs and split up searching. A few minutes later, Zoë texted us saying she'd found them in one of the guest rooms and something big was going down.

She wasn't wrong. I decided to audio record their conversation because we clearly needed to have an intervention about Luke with her. We figured if she heard the way he was talking to her in a different setting, she'd realize how worthless he was. And when she heard how she tried to justify everything... well, she wouldn't be able to justify it anymore. Nico?

_Note to self: cut out audio in three, two- _

* * *

LUKE: I have to, you know I have to.

THALIA: No, you don't, Luke. And, more to the point, you _shouldn't_.

LUKE: Do you want to live in the projects forever? Or do you want our lives to fucking mean something?

THALIA: I want you to stay out of prison! How do I- how do I know you're not robbing banks?

LUKE: So you don't trust me.

THALIA: I trust you, but I don't trust this side of you, no. You're better than this, I know you are.

...

LUKE: You're right. You're always right... I'll be better for you, Thalia, I promise.

THALIA: I love you, okay? We'll get through this together.

LUKE: And we'll be better than our shitty parents.

THALIA: Now you're talking. Come here.

* * *

_Aaaand we're back, folks! _

The four of us ran into my room. A) we didn't want to hear Thalia and Luke have sex, and B) we had a lot to discuss.

We all knew that there was only one thing Luke could've meant by "We'll be better than our shitty parents." The only thing big enough to make Thalia skip practice.

She was pregnant.

* * *

**END NOTES**

Would this chapter be half the size without all the filler? Yes but it gives it personality so shut up.

Also, why did Logic crash on them for no reason? Logic broke while I was composing a film score and I was like I WILL MAKE THIS GOOD SOMEHOW ALSO FUCK YOU LOGIC

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: We had an open invitation [to the party].  
JOJO: see, nico? she could have assumed you found out about the party at school. (poor kid lmao last to know about the party in his own damn house)  
MELODY: That's so typical Nico though

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**Fenikkusu94**

_Oh oh oh, this is gonna be fun. I cant wait to see what is in store for our favorite cast of characters._

Lots of drama, that's for sure.


	7. Phase Two: Nico the Awkward Turtleduck

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

The party, part two.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2960  
Content Warning: Mild Violence

This is an evening post 'cause I'm in Pittsburg for my brother's graduation. Go Carnegie Mellon University Class of 2019!

Shoutout to anyone who gets the reference in the title.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

I'm going to take over for a bit.

_Yeah, sure, go ahead, Nico. _

So, last time you saw me, Bianca threatened to drag me down to the party. I did _not _want to go, like, at all. I hate people most of the time; I wasn't in the mood to talk-I'm usually not-and the last thing I needed was to see Percy with Annabeth or Will with Bianca. It's way easier to bury your feelings when you aren't put in a situation where you have to feel them. I know Bianca thought she was trying to help, but I knew I was going to have a lousy time.

And boy was I right.

I didn't need my big sister embarrassing me, so I got dressed and forced myself to go downstairs. I decided I'd find Bianca so I could prove I came to the party, stay five minutes, then sneak back upstairs and try to ignore everything. I should've known that was wishful thinking. I would never be so lucky.

I found her talking to Will. I stopped in my tracks. I didn't need to see this, I didn't _want _to see this, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. I couldn't hear what they were saying over the music, but they were both smiling a lot. They seemed really comfortable with each other. I hated it, and I hated myself for hating it. This was _Bianca_, my _sister, _the person who practically _raised _me. She'd never hurt me in my life, never put herself first. Why did I want to take away someone who made her so happy?

She gave him something, but I couldn't see what. My heart sank; she never gave gifts unless she was super close to the person. And then she kissed him.

_On the cheek! _

I know that. But it still hurt beyond belief. Like she said before, it's an Italian thing, but when I already thought they were going to get together... this felt like my proof. She'd kissed him. She'd _kissed him_. And he had this nervous, awkward smile that was so adorable I wanted to scream. I backed away, desperate not to cry. I hadn't hurt this bad since I found out Percy already had a girlfriend. No, this hurt even worse than that.

I bumped into someone. He shoved me back and said, "Watch where you're going, creep!"

It was Bryce Lawrence, the meanest kid on the football team. I hated that guy. He was a bully, a loser. The year before, he'd asked Bianca out, and when she said no, he started harassing her, spreading rumors about her, calling her a slut and a whore, all that douchebaggery... until I told Percy and Jason, and they punched his lights out.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I growled. "Get the fuck out of my house!"

Bryce laughed. "Yeah, right. What are you going to do about it? Go hide behind your friends, loser."

I clenched my fist. "You wanna go? I can take you in a fight, easy."

_You're five foot nothing with spaghetti arms. _

Shut up.

I don't remember exactly what happened next. He cussed at me, I yelled back, and soon the crowd had formed a circle around us, chanting "Fight!" Soon my jacket was on the floor. And my fist made contact with his face.

Papà had forced Bianca and me to take some self-defense classes in middle school. I remembered enough to know that you always go for the temple. Bryce staggered backward, and I punched him in the stomach and kneed him in the crotch. I punched him in the cheek, the mouth, wherever I thought would hurt the most. I may be small, but I'm quick. For a while, Bryce couldn't get a hit in.

Then, I heard Hazel shout my name. I turned on instinct, just for a second, but that second was enough for Bryce to punch me in the back of my neck. It _hurt. _I stumbled. He kicked the back of my knees, and I fell to the ground. He walked to my front, grabbed me by my shirt, and said, "You're going to pay, you son of a bitch." And he went to town.

It only ended when Hazel and Reyna pulled Bryce off of me. Reyna threw him on the ground and kicked him in the nose and yelled at him to get lost. Terrified and in pain, Bryce scrambled up and ran out the door.

"He's going to come after us again," Hazel said. "There's no way he's letting this go." She sounded pretty scared, but I was too angry to care.

"How could you be so stupid?" Reyna demanded. "He's twice your size!"

I spit out some blood. "I was doing just fine before Hazel distracted me!" I yelled. "Just- just leave me alone!"

I pushed my way into the crowd before Hazel could stop me. She called out my name, but I didn't look back. I ran up the stairs with the full intention of going back to my room and drowning in vodka. But I heard someone stomping up the stairs after me.

"Get off my fucking back, Hazel," I spat.

"I'm not." It was Will.

I turned. I couldn't help it. And I hated myself for it. I kept thinking, _don't talk to him, you'll make things worse for yourself_, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't help it.

"Let me clean you up," Will said. "My brother Michael used to be an army doc. He taught me a few tricks." He smiled, trying to reassure me, and my heart stopped. It should be against the law for someone to be so perfect.

I tried to tell him to get lost, but all I could say was "Umm..." I must've sounded like an idiot. Will scrunched his eyebrows the way he does when he's concerned. He asked if I had a concussion. I told myself to run and lock the door, but my feet wouldn't budge. _Say something, anything, _I thought. I could've said a simple "no," maybe "leave me alone," but instead I went with, "You don't want to see my room; it's a mess."

Will laughed, and my heart went from not beating at all to beating double time. "You've got enough guest rooms," he told me, "So, pick one."

Again, I should've run out of there, but instead, I heard myself say, "Okay."

I'm gonna regret that "okay" for the rest of my life.

_Nico, he's literally your boyfriend. Why would you regret this _**_now_**_? _

We would've gotten together eventually; you made sure we saw each other all the time. This is why I regret it:

Will did that thing where he slung my arm around his shoulders to help me walk. I kept saying that I was okay, I could walk on my own, but he was too stubborn to listen. I directed him to the nearest guest room-luckily, no couples were making out in it. Will walked me to the bed. He ran to the master bathroom to grab first-aid stuff, leaving me alone for a bit. I spent the entire time calming myself down. I saw that kiss every time I closed my eyes.

Will came back. He locked the door behind him. "So we don't get interrupted," he said. For half a second, I indulged myself. I pictured a different situation, where Will was saying that to me for a different reason, a romantic reason.

That was the moment I knew I was fucked.

Will asked to take a look at me. For once in my life, I didn't argue. He inspected my face, asked me to open my mouth, stuff like that. "I don't think anything's broken," he told me. "I don't think you'll have to go to a doctor."

I was definitely relieved. If Papà found out I'd gotten into a fight... it wouldn't be pretty.

"Can you take your shirt off?" Will asked. "I want to make sure you aren't bleeding."

My face got hot. I should've sent him packing, but my stupid mouth wouldn't let me say it. I did it without a word.

Will took out an alcohol wipe and started to clean my wounds. Then, he tossed the wipe and took out a wet washcloth. He dabbed at my wounds; he was so gentle I didn't feel a thing. It felt... I guess there's no other word for it but intimate. It felt so _right_. But it couldn't feel right. I wasn't out to anyone, and this was a straight guy, my sister's crush.

But I couldn't get myself to push him away.

He wrapped gauze around my chest wounds. "Why'd you do that?" Will asked. He didn't sound like he was accusing me, he sounded more... like he actually cared about _me_, not the scary emo kid or Bianca's little brother. Bianca was the only other person who'd ever spoken to me like that. It felt good. I hated that.

If you haven't noticed, though, I had no control over what I did around him. To anyone but Bianca, I would've been out the door in a second. I told myself to leave, I remembered my promise that I wouldn't talk to him anymore until whatever I was feeling went away. _Get out, just go, it isn't rocket science, _I thought, but my feet wouldn't move.

I had to say something, or he'd get mad at me. I didn't think I could take that. But what was I going to say? "I saw you with Bianca and started feeling things because I keep thinking about you, oh, by the way, I'm gay?" He'd run out the door. He'd tell people. How could Bianca ever look at me again? How could Percy?

I didn't want to lie to him, though. So I said, "You're new. You don't get it. Bryce is a creep."

"But he's twice your size," Will pointed out.

"I've heard," I snapped. "Look, I haven't had a good week. I just lost it, okay?"

Will finished with the gauze. He rummaged around for some band-aids for my face as he talked. "Bianca told me your dad's getting remarried. That... sucks."

"Papà doesn't care," I said. "Couldn't he at least wait until I'm gone before he betrays Mamma's memory?"

"I don't think that would make it any better. You'd still have to see her when you get back from college," Will pointed out.

I laughed bitterly. "Could you imagine me in college? I'm barely passing."

"Then what are you going to do?" Will asked.

"I don't know," I admitted. "One thing's for sure, though: once I leave, I'm never coming back."

"He'd track you down eventually," Will pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "He wouldn't care. Hell, I don't know if he would notice, he spends so much time at the office. Persephone proves that he doesn't care about anyone but himself." Will pulled out the bandages. I watched him rummage through the box to find the right sizes. "Bianca's my family," I continued. "She's the one who raised me, she's the one who loves me. I don't need anyone but her."

We didn't talk while Will put the bandages on me. That was, again, the worst thing that could've happened, because it meant I had time to think. My own words echoed in my brain. I knew what I had to do, even if it killed me. All her life, Bianca had taken care of me. I had to put her first.

After he was done with the band-aids, he said, "You're good," and started to clean everything up. I took a deep breath. This was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.

"Will?" I said. "You should go for it with Bianca."

His back was to me, so I didn't see his reaction. "Go for what?" Will asked.

"Ask her out," I said. Every word stabbed me. I took another deep breath. I had to do this. "You make her really happy. I think you'd be a good couple. You guys get along great; I've never seen her open up like that to a stranger so fast." _And it's obvious she likes you_, I thought, but I couldn't bring myself to say that.

"You think?" Will said. He was still crouched over the first-aid kit with his back to me, but he turned his head. He had this sort of half grin on his face. "Thanks. I'll find her when I'm done here."

And my heart broke in two. "You do that," I forced myself to say. "I'm going to, um, rest a bit. Tell Bianca I'll be down at one to force people out and help her clean up."

"Sure," Will said. "See you, death boy."

"Death boy?" I asked.

Will laughed. "I saw your contact on Bianca's phone. 'The Ghost King' kinda sounds weird when you say it out loud. I like 'death boy' better."

"I'm _Nico_," I protested. "Don't call me 'death boy.' "

"Aight, death boy." Will smirked and headed out of the room.

TL;DR, that night wasn't the best for me. I spent the next hour in my room with a cigarette, chanting _don't cry _in my head.

I need a break. I'm gonna grab some water. Be right back.

_Sure. I'll finish off the night. _

So, Zoë, Phoebe, Naomi, Celyn, and I were in my room, freaking out over what we just heard. Thalia was pregnant. _Pregnant. _

"I can't believe it," Naomi said over and over again.

"I can," Zoë scoffed. "That's what happens when you trust a guy. He ruins your life."

"I don't think a baby will ruin her life," Celyn said.

"She's dirt poor, living on her own in the projects, and the baby daddy is in and out of jail; now she's going to have to see him for the rest of her life," Zoë replied. "I think that's enough to ruin it."

"Wait..." Phoebe said. "She won't be able to shoot in the spring. What about Jupiter's?"

Every year, Coach Artemis took two senior varsity members to San Francisco to represent the school at Camp Jupiter's Shootout, a month-long national archery tournament. It was a _huge _deal. There were tons of recruiters there for colleges, trainers, even the Olympics. Last spring, when we had tryouts, Zoë and Thalia won the spots. But Thalia would be nine months pregnant in May. There was no way she could go now.

"You came in third, Bianca," Zoë said.

"I can't go," I protested. "You think I could leave Nico alone for a month?" _Or Papà, _I thought, but I couldn't say that. He had an image to protect.

"We'll think of something," Celyn said. "Coach Artemis will come up with a plan."

"You do realize we can't tell her," I said. "Thalia can't know we know. She'd be furious. I don't want her to stop being friends with us when she's going to need us the most." And, on a personal level, I didn't want to lose my best friend. I continued, "Look, guys, it's not worth it to sit here and freak out. What's done is done. We just have to be there for Thalia, support her, because we all know Luke and he's not going to be her rock. There's nothing else we can do right now."

They agreed with me. We headed into the kitchen to grab some much-needed food. Will found me a few minutes later.

"Hey, Bianca, can I talk to you?" he asked. My friends raised their eyebrows.

"Sure," I said. "I'll be right back, guys." He took me to an empty room and shut the door. "This is about Nico, right?" Will nodded. "Great! Did you get him to talk to Hazel?"

He told me about the fight, Hazel and Reyna, and what Nico said when Will was tending to his wounds.

"This isn't how I wanted the night to go, but I'm not surprised," I said. "I'm glad he opened up to you; you're doing a great job."

Will rubbed the back of his neck, nervous. "He's also trying to set us up."

I laughed. "That's sweet of him."

"I think we should do it."

My face fell. As gently as I could, I said, "Will, I'm sorry, but you know how busy I am. I don't have time for a relationship right now."

"I know that," Will promised, "But Nico doesn't."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If I keep randomly popping up, he's going to catch on," Will said, "But if I'm your boyfriend, I've got a reason to go home with you every day. And he's got a reason to be nice to me-he's protective of you, and he'll want to make sure I'm a nice guy and treating you well. It's the perfect excuse."

"Just to clarify, you want us to fake date?" I questioned. Will nodded. I thought for a moment. I know how stupid this sounds now, but, at the time, it actually seemed like a good idea. I swear I'm not crazy! It just... you weren't there, okay?!

"Ground rules," I said, "I am _Bianca_, no pet names. You can kiss my cheek and hold my hand when you have to, but put your hands on my body, and I'll kick you where the sun don't shine."

"Done," Will said. "Also... no parents. And I can't take you to my house." I wanted to ask why, but he hadn't questioned my demands, so it felt rude to say anything. He held out his hand and said, "Do you have a deal?"

I took it. "Deal." We shook.

I warned you Will and I didn't make anything better for Nico.

* * *

**END NOTES**

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: Persephone proves that he [Hades] doesn't care about anyone but himself.  
MELODY: (this is formatted like it is in the comment)  
NICO: Hades doesn't care about me or anyone but himself.  
HADES (last time we saw him): "Do you know how afraid I am? Do you know how much I love you? ... I can't go on without you. ... Bianca, you and Nico, your happiness, it means more to me than anything in this world."  
EVERYONE: USE YOUR WORDS FUCKING TALK TO EACH OTHER GAH  
JOJO: such accurate characterization

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**Fenikkusu94**

_Gotta love the drama. I ship Thaluke so hard. but not so much in this fanfic._

Drama is everything in my fics. I'm on the same boat with Thaluke, but he definitely isn't the best in this fic.

**Junebug**

_Junebug:Yeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Solangelo! This is one of my favorite fics, so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep writing this!_

_Nico di Angelo, so help me, if you don't stop drinking/smoking, I will come over there and beat the tar outta you!_

_*Nico appears*_

_N: Juuuuune..._

_Me: Is it my fault if I want to take care of my little brother? (yep I'm a Hades kid)_

_N: June!_

_Me: :)_

Thank you so much! I'm of course going to finish it, it's already written :) (I like your little play!)

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_"I'm a sarcastic little ***and I'm proud" Nico, you are such a mood_

_I am really curious about all the other nicknames. and oh ***Thalia is pregnant! damn. I can't wait until the party._

_and I'm sorry for not commenting for the last chapter, I couldn't find the time and then forgot_

Nico is life haha. I hope the party was everything you thought it would be! And don't worry, I love when you comment but never feel pressured to.

** ZiaRashid12**

_Percy trying to get Piper and Jason together gives me life! It's so cute! Also, I'm glad to hear that this fan fiction won't be as dark as your other ones (I love them though)._

The Jason subplot was definitely super fun to write. Yeah, I needed something lighter after those super dark fics. I feast on your tears, but that kind of angst takes a toll on me too.


	8. Phase 3: Let's Torture Nico Some More

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

The di Angelos prepare for Thanksgiving.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 3121  
Content Warning: None

Did I forget to post yesterday? Yes, but what else is new?

This one's a little longer than usual, but I couldn't trim it down any more.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

_I'm back, bitches. Where you at, B? _

The whole fake dating thing.

_Oh, yeah. That's so weird to think about now. Why did you agree to it? _

Because it sounded like a good idea at the time. How the fuck was I supposed to know you liked him? You weren't out to me yet, and you were the one who was trying to set us up in the first place!

_Excuses, excuses. _

Whatever. I'm getting on with the story.

Nico came down around one to help get everyone out of the house. We started cleaning around 1:30. All my friends helped us out; Hazel and Reyna chipped in, too. I found the opportunity to pull Hazel aside and talk to her about Nico. I explained that he was having a bad night, and she shouldn't take what he said to heart. She kept nodding and saying "okay," but I don't think she really heard me. She looked miserable.

"How did things go with Frank?" I asked her, trying to lighten the mood.

"It... didn't work out," Hazel said. Her eyes were on the floor. I wanted to press her for more, but I also knew how bad heartbreak hurt. So, instead, I hugged her, told her everything would be all right, and let her get back to Reyna.

Everyone crashed at our place, except Jason and Piper. They lived close enough to walk home, and Leo convinced Jason to go. We were all crossing our fingers that he'd finally ask her out. All alone on a warm summer night with the stars and a full moon? Classic rom-com.

I tried to convince Thalia to sleep in my room, but she wanted to spend the night with Luke. Eventually, I had to let it go-she'd get angry at me if I insisted. Besides, Thalia talked a big game, but she could be... fragile about certain things. I knew she was in a bad place right now. It wasn't worth it to upset her.

We decided that Nico would stay in my room, and Percy and Grover would have his. I expected Percy would want to spend the night with Annabeth, but I think it was a "bros before hoes" situation.

It ended up being a good thing, though, because Nico and I finally got to talk.

I couldn't sleep, despite how late it was. I couldn't stop thinking about Thalia. How could I help her? Was Zoë right? Would it ruin her life? Not if I could help it.

I thought Nico was asleep, until he said, "Do you know what this reminds me of?"

"What?" I asked.

He rolled over so he was facing me. I did the same. "When we were kids, how I'd sneak into your room sometimes when I had a bad dream. Do you remember?"

"I'd take out a flashlight and make shadow animals to cheer you up," I said. "Then you'd tell me stories about... that game, what was it called?"

"Mythomagic," he reminded me. He laughed, and I teared up. It had been a long time since he laughed. "God, I was obsessed with that game," Nico said. "I had all the action figures, except Hades."

"Mamma, Papà, and I looked for you," I remembered. "I saved up all my allowance so I could get him. But he was so rare, even in America. We couldn't find it anywhere in _Italia_."

My voice cracked, and I started to cry. I couldn't help it. I heard Nico get out of bed. The next thing I knew, he was hugging me. "Whatever it is, it's okay," he said.

"I miss being happy," I whispered. "I miss being an actual family."

"Me too," he said, "but at least we have each other. I swear, Bianca, you'll always have me."

"How can you be sure?" I asked. "After what happened to Mamma and me, how can you be sure about anything?" I tried to wipe the tears from my cheek, but they kept coming. "I just want my family back together again."

"Me too," Nico said.

"Then why do you do this?" I asked. "Nico, why don't you try?"

"I- I don't know," he admitted. "Do you ever... like, feel like you forgot how to be happy? Because I do, all the time." He took a shaky breath. ""I know we've never talked about it, but... do you know what happened to me while you were in a coma? I needed Papà, but- but he kept pushing me away. It was like, he looked at me, and all he saw was Mamma, all he thought about was you. I- I tried to get his attention, and you know what he did? He told me he couldn't handle me, and he threw me in the psych ward. When the doctors told him I could come out, he kept saying, 'Are you sure? I have a lot to do for my daughter, could he stay a little longer?' He didn't want me anymore. He doesn't love me, Bianca, he loves _you._"

"That's not true!" I protested. "He told me we were his world, Nico. Both of us."

"Actions speak louder than words," he said bitterly. Silent tears fell down his cheeks. When he spoke again, his voice was higher pitched, more vulnerable, more terrified. "I want him back so bad, but every time I try... And now he goes and does this. I hate Persephone. She's ruining what little we had."

"Talk to him," I begged. "Tell him what you're telling me. Don't let him slip away."

Nico sniffed. "He's already gone."

Nothing much happened in the next few weeks. Jason, of course, had chickened out _again _when he walked Piper home. Percy got more and more determined to get these two together. He came up with this plan where he'd slip notes into Piper's locker as her "secret admirer," hoping that she'd be on the lookout for someone who had a crush on her and finally pick up on Jason's not-so-subtle hints. Piper assumed someone was messing with her, so this did absolutely nothing.

Thalia still didn't tell anyone she was pregnant. Every day at lunch I waited for her to say something, but she never did. Zoë, Phoebe, Naiomi, Celyn, and I had more than a few meetings before practice to discuss the situation. We did our best to be supportive, but what could we do when she wouldn't tell us anything? We almost caved and asked Coach Artemis for advice. Almost.

Will became a regular visitor at our house. My friends, of course, tortured me to no end about my new "boyfriend." Thalia did the whole "if you hurt her, I kill you," (Will was terrified), Annabeth offered to do some detective work on his life in North Carolina (I told her no, that was probably illegal), Piper and Leo offered me relationship advice (I passed Piper's on to Jason), and Jason did everything in his power to make Will feel welcome (read: went completely overboard). Percy and Will became pretty good friends, too.

Unfortunately, every time Will tried to talk to Nico, it would go south pretty fast. It was like he was avoiding him.

_I was. _

I know. If anything, things were getting worse with Nico. He outright refused to talk to Persephone or Papà, said barely anything to Hazel, and I was seriously concerned he had a drinking problem with how many times I caught him drunk. I was desperate. In my head, I kept hearing Will's advice from the first day of school: "You can't help someone who isn't willing to help themselves." What if he was right?

I was dreading Thanksgiving. It was the one day a year that Nico and Papà were forced to look each other in the eye. Now, Persephone and Hazel would be there, and Demeter, too. At least Percy, Sally, and Sally's husband Paul would be there-Percy was usually a calming influence on Nico-but I doubted that would be enough. What was going to happen?

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I decided I had to talk to someone. I had a lucky break. Coach Artemis noticed something was wrong with Thalia and pulled her aside. I hung around after practice and watched their little meeting. Coach Artemis took her hand and said something, then Thalia hugged her hard. I was relieved. It looked like she'd finally told someone about the baby. Even if she wasn't ready to open up to the rest of us, she had someone looking out for her.

I called Thalia's name when she passed by. "Are you coming to Thanksgiving this year?" I asked. She and Luke usually did since both of them were estranged from their families. Thalia's dad left her unstable mom pretty early on. When she died in a drunk driving incident, her stepmother refused to let Thalia step foot in their house. Her dad didn't stick up for her. She was twelve. She lived in a foster home for a bit but ran away pretty quickly. Now that she was eighteen, the government couldn't do anything about her anymore. I didn't know Luke's story, but I imagined it wasn't a happy one either.

_Yay! More tangents no one cares about! _

I thought you were done with the shitty commentary.

_Neveeeeeerrrrr! _

Thalia told me she and Luke would be there. I asked if we could have a private conversation, and she agreed without a second thought. I told her about my worries with Nico. She listened carefully. It was nice to have my best friend back, even if it wasn't long. She'd been so distant lately.

"What's going to happen will happen," Thalia told me. "You're good at diffusing situations and you know Nico better than I do. If things get ugly, you and Percy can handle it. Invite Will, too. He's good with people."

"Thalia," I said, "That's a great idea."

I raced to the front of the school. I was so excited-this was the perfect opportunity for Will and Nico to bond. Nico would be avoiding the adults so much he'd _have _to talk to Will, if for no other reason than to look busy. I knew Will would agree to have Thanksgiving with us. From what I could tell, he wasn't very close to his dad, and he'd told me that his mom couldn't afford to come up, and he couldn't afford to go home. I'd offered to lend him the money, but he refused.

Will agreed to spend Thanksgiving with us; he was pretty happy about it like I'd predicted. I told Percy and Nico as soon as Jules-Albert slammed the door shut. Percy was ecstatic. Nico didn't say a word.

_I was freaking out. I'd already have to spend Thanksgiving with Percy, and now I'd have to deal with Will too. Both of my crushes in the same place for the entire day... it was hard enough riding in the limo with them, and I got to go to my room as soon as my feet hit the ground. I'd have to watch Will and Bianca be all lovey-dovey at dinner. It was gonna be torture. _

Would you like to take over, then? I think they'd love to hear about your torture.

_Sure._

* * *

I swear, one day cameras are going to pop out of the walls, and some announcer is going to tell us our entire lives have been a reality TV show. We can't go two weeks without something insane happening. Usually, it's bad, and it's happening to me.

_That's not- okay, yeah, it's totally true. _

Ha ha! My sister finally admits it!

_Get on with the Thanksgiving from Hell, or I'm going to take over again. _

Now that would be a tragedy.

_Sarcastic asshole. _

I'd spent all week mentally preparing for Thanksgiving. I was super stressed about it; I'd gone through an entire pack of cigarettes in, like, three days. Part of me wanted to smoke some pot and go through Thanksgiving high, but Percy was going to be there. I could never make a fool of myself in front of Percy.

Because Bianca decided to stay late at practice, it was just Percy and me alone waiting for Jules-Albert. My heart was racing the entire time. I'd thought about this moment for weeks. I knew I'd never get Percy to look at me the way I looked at him, but that sure as hell didn't mean that I didn't try.

I fixed my hair and clothes and checked my breath like I always did. Then, I ran to meet Percy as he jogged across the grass. "Hey, Percy!" I called. My hands were already shaking.

"What's up, Nico?" Percy replied.

When we reached the road, I knelt on the ground and unzipped my backpack. I couldn't look at him as I talked. "I, um, I got you something. 'Cause, you know, I'm thankful you're my friend."

"You didn't have to do that!" I looked up. That was a mistake- he was grinning at me. I almost fainted.

I grabbed the envelope from my bag and threw it into his hands. I watched him open it. He pulled out two tickets, and his mouth fell to the floor. "Oh my god, Nico, I can't take this. This must've cost you a fortune."

I told myself to act natural. I forced out a very unnatural chuckle, but Percy didn't seem to notice. It was a curse and a blessing how oblivious he was sometimes. Don't get me wrong, Percy's incredibly smart, but when it comes to other people... yeah, not so much.

_The word you're looking for is "slow on the uptake." _

Those are four words.

_Don't start this again. It's. A. Saying! _

"My father owns a record label," I reminded Percy, doing my best to sound casual, like I was teasing him. It didn't work. "I talked to Thanatos; he knows Fall Out Boy's manager, it was super easy to get backstage passes. Don't worry about it."

That was a lie. In reality, I broke into Papà's office when he wasn't home-he never was-and went through his contacts until I found the right people. I had to pretend to be him, make up some bullshit story, and it cost an arm and a leg to basically bribe their manager, but it was in the name of love. Stupid, destructive, fucking love. Two All-Access tickets to Fall Out Boy. Percy's favorite band.

I was hoping he'd ask me to come with him. It would be like a date. Maybe it would even turn into one.

"Thank you, Nico!" Percy said. "Annabeth is going to love this!" My heart sank. Then, to make things worse, Percy corrected himself and said, "Unless you want to come. We'd totally have a great time."

"No," I forced myself to say, "Take your girlfriend. Enjoy yourself." All the magic of the moment was gone. "You know what?" I said. "I think I'm actually going to walk home."

"It's freezing," Percy protested.

"It's fifty degrees," I replied.

"That's still too cold," Percy said. "C'mon, man, I don't have a jacket or anything."

"You want to come with me?" I asked, startled.

"Sure. Besides, Bianca would freak if I let you go on your own." He pat my shoulder. My brain went completely blank; I might as well've been dead.

Because, as usual, I couldn't say no to Percy, I went into the limo. Bianca told us that Will was coming for Thanksgiving. I felt miserable. I tried not to look at Will holding Bianca's hand. I failed.

As usual, I ignored Persephone's "hello" when we walked through the door. I went straight to my room, ready to drown my problems in alcohol of the umpteenth time, when I heard crying from Hazel's room.

The door was slightly open, so I could see inside. Hazel was on her bed, staring at her phone. She texted someone something, threw her phone down, and buried her face in her pillow.

Hazel was, hands down, the sweetest person I'd ever met. When I snapped at her, she'd ask me what she could do to help. When I was drunk, she'd give me water and text Bianca. She'd warn me when Papà was home so I could sneak up to my room and avoid a fight. She cracked jokes, and sometimes I'd smile.

It was at that moment as I watched her cry that I realized how much she'd grown on me. My blood boiled. I vowed then and there that I would figure out the jerk that was hurting her and make them pay. No one messed with my sister.

I decided to do something I'd never done before: talk to her.

I had to say her name three times. When she finally looked at me, I saw that her eyes were red. She sat up and tried to smile at me.

"Like that's going to convince me you're all right," I said. She looked hurt until she realized I was teasing her. She laughed a little, but more tears leaked out. I sat next to her. "Tell me what's wrong."

I thought she'd tell me to get lost. Then, she said, "What do you do when you have to hurt someone?"

"What kind of hurt are we talking about?" I asked. "No offense, but I don't think you can take anyone in a fight." Hazel bit her lip. "You don't have to tell me everything," I said, "But give me an idea of what's going on."

"Frank asked me out at the party in August," Hazel said, "But I said no. And now there's this other guy. I don't want Frank to hate me."

"Do I know this guy?" I asked.

"Maybe. His name's Octavian," she told me.

"He's your grade's secretary, right? In student gov?" I asked. She nodded. "I heard he's a slimeball."

"I know the rumors, but I have to give it a shot," she said.

"Do you want to, though?" I asked.

She looked at her lap. "Yeah."

"You're a terrible liar," I said.

"I'm going to say yes," Hazel told me, her voice breaking. "I just have to!"

"Fine," I forced myself to say. I knew I couldn't change her mind. "If something feels off, you gotta break up with him, okay? I don't want you to get yourself hurt."

Hazel's eyes teared up again, but, this time, it wasn't 'cause she was sad. She jumped on me, hugging me hard. Then, just as quick, she pulled away and apologized. "I know you hate people touching you."

I grinned at her. "I don't mind so much when you do it."

She hugged me for a long time after that.

* * *

**END NOTES**

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: I could never make a fool of myself in front of Percy.  
JOJO: Nico don't challenge the universe by saying shit like that  
MELODY: I think the universe is already rigged against him anyway

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

* * *

**COMMENTS**

Thank you to ** DuneDoodles** and** erinocean7 **for favoriting this story!

**Fenikkusu94**

_Bad idea. Really really bad idea. In its own weird way it kind of reminds of a romcom a very dark and angsty romcom. lol. I love it._

I know, I know, fake dating is usually a terrible idea. And, honestly, I think you hit the nail on the head-this kind of _is _a very dark and angsty romcom. Well, very dark by romcom standards.

**The Good Ravenclaw**

_hey! we're in the same state at the moment! I'm in Philadelphia and you're in Pittsburgh. noice_

_I love the chapter! the Nico and Will part was Amazing and I love it! dam, Bianca and Will are "dating" and that's the tea. ooh, I can't wait till my baby Nico finds out and his reaction._

That's so cool!

I'm glad you liked it. There will be more solangelo to come, of course. Haha it is the tea indeed. Nico's gonna... well, I can't say. But I will say the day he finds out will be an interesting one indeed.


	9. The di Angelo's Thanksgiving From Hell

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Thanksgiving dinner.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

As usual, I suck at posting on time, but at least I'm posting?

There's a mention of suicide in this-no one does or attempts anything, but it is mentioned.

Starts out as Bianca's POV, because that isn't super clear at the beginning.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

Who's going to talk about Thanksgiving from Hell?

_Oh fuck, I'm not doing that. I've spent the last two years trying to block that from my memory. I'm not undoing all that work for you, nuh-uh. _

Do you want to leave the room?

_Nah, just get on with it. It's getting pretty late, even for me. I think let's get to New Year's then finish up tomorrow. I'm not in the mood to pull an all-nighter. _

Fair enough. Ladies and gentlemen... Thanksgiving from hell!

Wednesday afternoon, Percy, Will, and I helped Sally cook Thanksgiving dinner. Because we had Will's extra set of hands, we got through more than we usually did. I let Sally and Percy head out a bit early as a thank you; we had plenty of leftovers for dinner. Will stayed for dinner, then Jules-Albert took him home.

I didn't see Nico or Hazel at all. I decided to check on them. Nico was lying in his bed smoking a cigarette and listening to some alt rock that he blasted so loud I couldn't hear myself think. He was in a mood, like usual. I didn't bother to scold him about the cigarette; I knew he wouldn't listen to me, and, honestly, I was just happy I didn't smell any alcohol. I laid the food on his nightstand, kissed him on the cheek, and told him to get some rest.

I went to Hazel next. She was lying on her bed too, on her back, staring up at the ceiling with dead eyes. One hand was on her phone resting on her stomach. I did the same thing for her that I did for Nico. She smiled at me and said, "Thank you," but wouldn't tell me what's wrong. I didn't push. She'd come to me when she was ready.

I woke up early on Thanksgiving to help Sally finish up the food.

I heard someone humming as I came into the kitchen. It wasn't even eight o'clock yet. "You got here early," I said.

"I do live here." It was Persephone.

"Oh, sorry, I thought you were Sally," I said. "Aren't you normally out of the house by now?"

"I don't have to work on Thanksgiving," she reminded me, "and I wanted to make sure everything was ready for my mother. She's a vegan, so she needs something special." Persephone hummed, amused. "She'll throw a fit if things don't go her way. I love her, but she's a handful. Always has been."

I laughed. "I forgot-you used to make Thanksgiving dinner for yourself."

"It's easier when it was just the three of us," Persephone said. "Hazel would try to help, but that girl works so hard, school, helping us with the gardening. I needed to let her have at least one day off. Besides, your father's busy with the Board of Ed organizing that scholarship, and it's awfully boring to listen to him talk about it."

I laughed. "Yeah, the Olympus Scholarship is his baby." It took me a moment to work up the courage, but then I asked Persephone, "Can I ask a rude question?"She nodded. "Hazel's told me how poor you guys were. Why'd you decide to adopt her? Not that- just-"

"It's not a rude question," Persephone said. "My uncle lives in New Orleans and was pretty good friends with her family. The father died before Hazel was born, and her mother wasn't stable. She was a con woman, greedy, bitter. She got caught, of course, and had the baby in jail. My uncle took her under his care, but he's too old to handle a newborn. I've always loved children-my first job in high school was with a daycare, actually-so he reached out to me." Persephone smiled. "Something just felt right about it all. I couldn't find it in myself to say no. And I'm glad I didn't every time I look at her. Would you grab that, Bianca?" She pointed to some pasta cooking in boiling water.

"Sure," I said, grabbing the strainer. "Has she met her birth mother?" I asked.

Persephone shook her head. "I don't think she has any interest in her daughter. Last I heard, she'd been moved to a prison in Alaska. Part of me hopes she never comes back-I don't want someone like that in Hazel's life. You know how trusting she can be." Persephone started to chop some carrots. "I know there's this... stigma about adopted children, but I can't believe such a thing. I couldn't give her up for the world. She may not've come from me, but, the moment I held her, she was mine. I... I wish Nico would understand how that feels."

"It's not you doesn't like," I explained, "It's the idea of you. He feels like Papà getting remarried is betraying Mamma's memory. He's been so angry since she died. We reached a kind of normal after a while, but now you and Hazel are changing things. He doesn't like change."

"Are we changing things for good or bad?" Persephone asked. "Because I told Hades that I'm not ready to set a date until we're sure Nico can handle it. I don't want to come between a father and his son."

"Oh, there's already a lot of beef between them," I sighed. "Give me some time. Will and I are working on it."

"Will?" Persephone raised her eyebrows. "Is that the blond boy I keep seeing?" I nodded. "Will he be coming for dinner?" I nodded again. Persephone laughed. "Ah, young love. I miss how simple things used to be."

"Good morning, Bianca!" Sally called. She threw down her stuff and kissed me on the cheek. "Paul and Percy are on their way, they're carrying some stuff out of the car for me. I got a jumpstart on some of the food, we have so many more people."

Persephone and I didn't get much time to talk once the Jacksons invaded the kitchen. But we shared a few smiles. That was the best part of my day, the first time I'd really bonded with my stepmother-to-be. I wish the rest of the day went that smoothly.

We finished dinner with just enough time for me to get changed and throw some makeup on. I considered wearing that floppy green hat Hazel and I had found in my old middle school clothes, but I didn't have anything that went with it anymore.

_Are you going to describe our clothes in great detail again, mia cara sorella? _

_No_, because I don't have pictures on my phone.

I caught Hazel on her way down to dinner. "You look better," I said. "You want to tell me what was up yesterday?"

Hazel smiled. "Guy asked me out. I was a little unsure, but Nico helped a lot."

I nudged her with my shoulder. "See? I told you to give it time, and he'd warm up to you!"

"Who'd warm up to who?" Will was standing at the bottom of the stairs, grinning at me. Hazel giggled. For her sake, I kissed him on the cheek. She cheered.

"What's our ship name?" I teased her.

"I haven't decided!" Hazel said. "Wilanca?"

"I like it," Will said. He hugged Hazel hello. Then, the three of us made our way into the dining room. The Jacksons and Paul had already set the table. I hugged Thalia hello, then Luke. I liked him less and less, but I wanted to get along with him for Thalia's sake. And he was always so nice. When you were with him, it was easy to forget you were talking to a criminal.

We waited for Nico for twenty minutes until we just gave up and started to eat. I shot him a text from under the table, but Demeter yelled at me. "Texting during Thanksgiving dinner!" She scoffed. "This generation, can't go five minutes without their cell phone."

"Thank you, mother," Persephone said.

"I'm going to get him," I said, pushing my chair back. I looked at Papà for permission.

"Go," he said.

_I should've never come down. I didn't want to see Percy, I didn't want to see Will, I didn't want to see Persephone, and I sure as fuck didn't want to see Papà. But, back then, I could never say no to Bianca. _

Back then. *Bianca laughs* You can't say no to me ever.

...

I found him, once again, smoking a cigarette. We did the whole "I'll buy you Nicorette, I'm serious, stop smoking," thing, then I helped him change and get the smoke smell off of him. Ten minutes later, we were good to go.

"Nico's here!" I announced. Will smiled. "Sit with me, Nico," he said.

Nico looked at me expectantly. I raised my eyebrows. "Don't you want to?" he asked.

I didn't know what to say. It would look weird that I didn't want to sit next to my boyfriend, but I wanted Will and Nico to bond.

Luckily, Thalia saved me. "She'll sit with me," Thalia called. "Chicks before dicks!"

"Excuse me?!" Demeter cried. "Such language-Hades, you're going to take this?"

"Like you said, Demeter," Papà said dryly, "There's no hope for this generation."

Demeter huffed. "Mother, please," Persephone said, "Let's all just have a nice, peaceful Thanksgiving."

Nico snorted. "Fucking let's," he muttered.

Papà raised his eyebrows. "What was that, Nico?"

"Nothing," I butt in. I sent a warning glance at Nico. It got the message across: _behave yourself_.

Nico sat next to Will, but he didn't look happy about it. On my way to Thalia, when I passed Papà's chair, he grabbed my arm. "From Thalia's display, I take it you and Will... aren't friends?"

Percy, sitting within earshot, started to snicker. "Leave Bianca alone," Sally said, but she was trying not to laugh as well.

"She's eighteen, perfectly entitled to dating," Papà said, "However, I seem to be the last one to know."

"It, uh, never came up," I improvised. In reality, I didn't want to lie to him. I was becoming more uncomfortable with our little arrangement, but I kept telling myself it was the best way to help Nico. It's not like I would be dating someone else, anyway. So what was the problem?

_That the whole idea was idiotic. _

Thank you, Mr. Peanut Gallery. We're all aware of that at this point.

Papà let me sit down. For a while, things were pretty good. We had a few different conversations going on at once, so I didn't have to talk to Demeter (and, judging by Papà's increasingly annoyed face, that was definitely a blessing). Luke was as charming as ever, Thalia and I finally got a chance to talk without our problems getting in the way, Hazel was back to her usual self, and Percy was cracking stupid jokes that made Paul second-hand embarrassed. I kept one eye on Will and Nico. They were, miraculously, talking. Phase two of my five-step plan was complete.

_Yeah, well, Bianca knows me really well, and she was right-Will was the best way to keep from talking to the adults. He was chatting about nothing, I don't even remember what he said, because my mind kept drifting to places I didn't want it to go. His laugh, his smile, how good it would feel to "accidentally" bump my knee against his. I felt worse and worse. How could I think that stuff when he was dating my sister? Why was I thinking that stuff at all? _

_I was a bomb ready to explode. And boy did I explode. _

Near the end of dinner, when the Jacksons, Paul, Will, and I were clearing the table, Demeter said, "Let's go around and say what we're thankful for." Nico rolled his eyes. "Excuse me, young man!" Demeter snapped.

Nico stuck up a middle finger at her.

"Nico," Papà warned.

"Fuck off," Nico replied.

"I will not be spoken to like that in my own house," Papà told him. "Apologize to Demeter at once."

"Yeah, right." Nico rolled his eyes again. "How is this your house again? You're never fucking in it."

"This is your last warning," Papà said. "Apologize, now."

"Please, Nico," I begged. "Please don't start something. It's Thanksgiving."

He looked at me, a little guilty. I guess he still felt bad about the whole Will thing. He didn't apologize, but he didn't say anything else, either. Papà seemed satisfied. It would've ended there, until Demeter said, "You heard your father, boy. Apologize."

Nico shot up. "You know what? I hate pumpkin pie, anyway. I'm going to my room."

"Sit. Down." Papà snapped.

"Why should I?" Nico challenged.

Papà stood too, a dark expression on his face. "It is _Thanksgiving_. We are a family."

Nico laughed like... well, like a madman. "A family? Is that what you call this trainwreck. Oh, god!" He laughed even harder.

Percy glanced at me. He looked just as concerned as I did. "Nico," he said, "Maybe you should just sit down."

It was like Nico couldn't even hear him. Will, I don't know, maybe he felt like they'd gotten closer over the meal because he did the exact wrong thing-he touched Nico.

_With how confused I felt, with everything going on... just don't judge me, okay, guys? *Deep breath* Okay, Bianca... go. _

"Get your hands off me!" Nico shouted, slapping Will's hand away.

Papà shot up from his chair again. "Do _not _put your hands on our guests!" he shouted. It was a long time since I'd seen him this angry.

"Don't fucking tell me what to do, dipshit!" Nico shouted back. "You've got no right!"

"I am your _father_!" Papà yelled.

"You haven't been my father in a looooong time!" Nico snapped. Papà took a step towards him. Nico had a crazy look in his eyes. He grabbed the knife we'd been using to carve up the turkey and pointed it at Papà. "Don't you fucking _dare _get anywhere near me!"

Papà stopped in his tracks. His sixteen-year-old son was pointing a big, razor-sharp knife at him over Thanksgiving dinner. I could see the fear in his eyes, and the heartbreak.

_All I saw was how distant he looked. It was like he was confirming my worst fears. He really __didn't __give a shit about me. Here I was, a knife in my hand, and he was looking at me like I was an alien. _

"Nico. Put that down, now," Papà said. His voice was shaking with a mixture of anger and fear.

"_Put that down now_," Nico mocked. "Why? It's the only way I get you to listen to me!"

"Nico-"

"Say it!" Nico cut him off. "Say what you've always wanted to say!" Papà said nothing. "Say it!" Nico shouted again.

I stood up. "Nico!" I cried. "Nico, please, I don't want you to hurt yourself. Please, you can go upstairs, just put that down."

"You know what he did to me!" Nico shouted. "You think he deserves anything?!"

"I don't give a shit what he does or doesn't deserve!" I begged, tears in my eyes. "The only person I care about right now is _you_."

Nico turned back to Papà. "Tell me you love me," he demanded. Papà didn't say a word. He was too stunned, too angry.

_He couldn't even say the words. Anything I felt for him just... died. _

Nico dropped the knife. It clattered when it hit the side of his plate, then it fell on the floor. "Don't worry," he said in a harsh tone, "Two more years, and you'll never see me again. Just another trust fund baby, far, far away."

"And if I cut you off?" Papà demanded.

Nico laughed. "You've already shit on Mamma enough. You'd disown her kid, too?" Nico waited. Silence. "Well, you won't have to put up with me for much longer." With that, Nico left the table. None of us tried to stop him.

"Hades..." Persephone took his hand.

"Hide all the knives," he told Sally. He sounded... broken. "He's come close to... hurting himself before."

"He what?!" I cried. Why had I never heard that before?

Papà looked at me with dead eyes. "When we thought you were dying. He told me he had nothing left to live for. Why do you think I put him back in the hospital?"

* * *

**END NOTES**

I'm in a rush so I'm going to respond to the comments on Saturday.

This week's beta commentary:

STORY: Papà looked at me with dead eyes. "When we thought you were dying. He told me he had nothing left to live for. Why do you think I put him back in the hospital?"  
JOJO: this is why no one goes to friends' thanksgivings. shit comes out at thanksgiving.  
MELODY: Like, at least Percy and Will KNOW Nico. Luke and Thalia must feel so awkward sitting there like, "My name is Paul, and this shit's between ya'll..."

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!


	10. Piper Says: No

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Thanksgiving dinner has consequences, both good and bad.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

I'm... I'm not even going to give you an excuse this time, I'm just going to admit that I'm insanely terrible at posting. And I don't know why.

I do want to reassure you guys though, this fic is 100% prewritten and will NOT go unfinished. I just have to get back into the habit of posting each week. But even if it takes a year or more, this fic will see it to the end.

I know this one's on the shorter side, but this and next week's chapter was too long to combine.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

So, yeah, that happened.

I helped Sally hide all the sharp objects in our house after Nico's Thanksgiving outburst. I was still trying to wrap my head around it. Was Papà right to put Nico in the hospital if he'd said he had nothing left to live for? Or did Nico tell me the truth during our heart-to-heart after the party, and he was saying anything to get attention from Papà as he got more distant? I was confused, I was shocked, and I didn't know what to think. Mamma always had the answers. Why didn't I?

Will pulled me aside later that evening. "Percy's doing damage control with Thalia, Luke, and the others," he said, "I'm going to try and talk to Nico."

"Okay," I said. "I'll have the money for you on Monday." I sighed. "I'll pay you double for this, too. I'm so sorry this happened, I- I didn't expect it at all."

Will smiled at me. "It's nothing. It happens."

"Your dad tells you your brother was suicidal?" I questioned.

Will laughed. "In this family? Yeah, it happens."

I laughed too. "I guess you're right," I said. "We aren't the most normal, are we?"

Will gestured around him, drawing attention to our expensive mansion. "No, I don't think this is normal at all."

"Go on," I said, and I playfully shoved him away. I watched him run up the stairs. I couldn't help but wonder why it was taking so long for Nico to become friends with Will. He had gotten through my defenses so easily and, while they were nowhere near as strong as Nico's, they weren't easy to avoid, either. It should've taken Will a month at the most to crack him. Something else was going on, and I needed to know what.

I decided I was going to follow Will. It wouldn't be hard to eavesdrop. It wasn't wrong to me; Will reported back to me after every conversation, anyway.

_Oh you fucking bitch you did not._

Oh, I did, _dolce fratello_. I even recorded it on my phone. Why don't you put it in the playback...

* * *

NICO: Whoever you are, get off my fucking back.

WILL: Wow, you've got a potty mouth.

NICO: Blow me, sunshine.

*Rustling*

NICO: I didn't say you could sit on my bed.

WILL: Good, 'cause I didn't ask for permission. Would you turn the music down? I'm trying to have a conversation.

*Music increases in volume*

WILL: Fine, have it your way.

NICO: What are you doing-

*Rustling* *Music stops*

NICO: You fucking unplugged my speaker!

WILL: I want to talk, death boy. For god's sake, give me a minute.

NICO: Don't start with that fucking nickname again! You have no right to touch my shit!

WILL: You pointed a knife at your dad, and I'mthe one who's out of line?

NICO: Would you- would you just get _angry_, sunshine?! For once in your fucking life, yell at me! Cuss me out! Tell me to get lost!

WILL: No.

NICO: You're a freak.

WILL: Freak who's dating your sister.

NICO: Get out of my room.

...

WILL: If you hate me so much, why'd you set us up in the first place?

...

NICO: You make her happy.

WILL: And I can't make you happy, too? Be your friend?

...

NICO: No, you can't, Solace. Just leave me alone, please.

* * *

I dashed into my room. A few seconds later, I heard Will go back downstairs. I waited a little while for Nico to cool down, then I went into his room. He was passed out on his bed, an empty bottle of vodka in his hand.

I pushed my tears down. Will was _going _to work, but I had to make Nico less of a trainwreck while my five-point plan took effect. I wasn't going to enable this behavior anymore. I grabbed a garbage bag from the bathroom, and then I tore Nico's room apart. I grabbed every bottle of alcohol, every pack of cigarettes, every little baggie of marijuana (at least I hoped they were all pot leaves) and tossed them away. I put the garbage bag in my room and locked the door behind me. Nico wouldn't wake up until the morning, at least; I'd have my intervention then.

"Thalia!" I called on my way down the stairs. She and Luke were getting ready to leave. I hugged her. "I'm so sorry about tonight. Do you have to go already?"

"Luke's got work tomorrow," Thalia started to say, but Luke cut her off.

"Don't worry about it, Thalia," he said, "I can head back on my own."

"_Luke_," Thalia protested.

"When was the last time you had time to yourself?" he asked. "It's fine. I can handle a night alone."

Thalia pulled him aside. I watched them quietly argue until Thalia finally caved. She kissed him goodnight and walked him to the door. The door slammed shut. She stood there, one hand on the doorknob, staring at Luke as he walked to his shitty, beat-up, fourth-hand car.

"Do you think he's good for me?" Thalia asked.

"Good for you, how?" I asked.

"Good," Thalia repeated. "Right."

"I don't think he's right for anyone," I admitted. "In and out of jail, dead-end job, I get he's had a hard life, but he's a loser, Thalia. If you're starting to wonder whether you want to be with him... maybe that's a sign you shouldn't be."

"We're having a baby, Bianca," Thalia whispered.

She'd finally told me. I pulled her into a hug and said, "Whatever happens, I'll be right there to support you. What are best friends for?"

"Thanks, Bianca," she said. That was all I needed.

The next morning, Percy and I had an intervention with Nico. He didn't scream or cuss us out-he never did anything like that when Percy was around. He promised both of us that he'd try harder; I didn't know whether to believe him. At first, it seemed like it worked. Things got a little better in the next few weeks; I didn't catch him drunk, or high, or smoking. He didn't disappear to that alley to meet up with Alabaster C. Torrington. I even saw him talking with Hazel sometimes.

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, though; new problems replaced the old ones. He holed himself up in his room, refusing to go to school, and when he did, he'd pick fights, he'd cuss out teachers, vandalize property. It got harder and harder to get him to talk to anyone besides me, Percy, and Hazel. I looked up the signs of clinical depression on WebMD. He checked almost every box.

More than that, he wouldn't even look at Papà anymore. Christmas came, and they hadn't said a word to each other since the Thanksgiving from Hell. I talked to both of them on their own, trying to make some sort of peace, but nothing worked. I knew Nico's threat was genuine. He'd never stay away from _me_, but once he graduated high school, he'd never talk to Papà again. If that happened, we'd never get our family back to where it used to be. I carried that fear every day.

The last day before Christmas break, Piper assaulted me in the cafeteria. She grabbed my arm and pulled me to our usual table. I didn't dare stop her-angry Piper is a scary Piper. She pointed to a pile of little papers on the table and said to me, "Get him to _stop_, Bianca." I'd never heard anyone sound so annoyed.

"Good morning to you too," I said. "Who to stop what?"

"Percy. Tell him to cut it out," Piper said. "My locker is full enough without this bullshit."

"How do you know it's him leaving them?" I asked.

Piper raised her eyebrows. "I know seaweed brain's handwriting."

I glanced down at the papers-they were all the love notes Percy had been sticking in her locker (if you didn't figure that out). Sure enough, they were all written in blue pen. "He didn't type them..." I groaned, "Why the fuck wouldn't he type them..."

"So you'll get him to stop?" Piper demanded.

"Text Annabeth or Grover," I advised her, "We've been trying to reel him in, I promise. You should've gone to them in the first place-why'd you even come to me?"

"I needed to vent in person," Piper said, "And you were the first person I saw. Texting in all caps doesn't do it for me."

_You still have pictures of the notes, don't you? You gotta read some of them._

Yeah, let me pull them up...

Roses are red,  
Violets are blue,  
The one you love,  
is right in front of you!  
Signed, your secret admirer.

If you were a transformer, you'd be Optimus Fine.  
Signed, your secret admirer.

Have you been covered in bees recently? I just assumed, because you look sweeter than honey.  
Signed, your secret admirer.

You must be made of cheese, because you always look Gouda!  
Signed, your secret admirer.

If you were a vegetable, you would be a cute-cumber."  
Signed, your secret admirer.

_There's like thirty more._

What did you ever see in him, Nico?

_His abs._

Fair.

But, back to Piper.

"What's been with him lately?" Piper asked me. "Percy's been so weird. There's no way he actually likes me, is there? Because I can't do that to Annabeth."

I bit my lip. I wanted to tell her about Jason's crush so badly, but it wasn't my secret to tell. "He... he wants you to get a boyfriend, I think," I said.

"Ohhhhh," Piper laughed. "This is about sky guy's stupid-ass crush, isn't it?"

"YOU KNOW?!" We turned. Percy and Grover were standing there. Percy's jaw was to the floor.

"Of course I know, he's so obvious about it," Piper said.

"Then why aren't you doing anything?!" Percy demanded. "Oh god, don't tell me you don't like him too, because you guys would have the cutest babies-"

"I like him!" Piper cut him off. "But I don't want to date someone who can't string two words together in front of me. When he's ready for me, I'll be there. In the meantime..." She took the pile of papers from the table and dropped them on Percy's head. Fifty small pieces of paper floated to the ground around him. "Get some better pick-up lines." She let out a breath she'd been holding. "Oh, that felt _good_. I needed to throw something."

The warning bell rang. Piper, Grover, and I left Percy alone, covered with those little papers, as his world collapsed around him. "She... knew..." he whispered to himself. "She... knew...?"

The second I walked through the door to bio, Will, like, appeared out of thin air, grabbed my arm, and dragged me to my seat. "Hey!" I cried, and yanked my arm away from him. "What's with everyone grabbing me today?"

"I'd grab you anytime, _mamasita_," Chris Rodriguez shouted. His idiot friends whooped and hollered. I felt the blood rush to my face. I wanted to crawl into a corner and hide. I hated attention.

_That fucking... You should've told me! I'd've pummeled that bastard into the ground._

That's _why _I didn't tell you, genius. It's fine, anyway. Chris's girlfriend, Clarisse, elbowed him in the stomach and called him a douchebag for you. She spat, "Pick on someone your own size," then they started making out in the middle of the room.

_Eww._

I pushed my hair in front of my face and scurried to the back of the classroom. I wanted class to be over already, and it hadn't started yet.

Will knew it was best not to say anything. He told me some stories about his mom to cheer me up. He was going back home for the break and was super excited; it was the first time he'd seen his mom since he moved to New York. Mr. D handed out our midterm pretty soon after that, and, by the grace of God, I could hide in my work.

"Pretend you're sick when we go to your place," Will whispered in my ear on our way out the door. "I think I've cracked your brother."

And, with that, I think you should take over, Nico.

_No problem._

*Rustling*

_Take over what?_

_Will!_

*Rustling*

Eww, don't kiss right in front of me.

_Bianca! Hey, long time no see. How are you?_

_We're actually recording something, sunshine._

_Ohh that's what the mic's for. I was gonna say._

_What are you doing awake? It's almost three in the morning._

_Couldn't sleep, wanted to pop by._

I'd be quiet if I were you. Papà would freak if he caught you guys alone together at night.

_Well, you'll be our witness, then._

*Rustling*

*Laughter*

He just sat down criss-cross-applesauce on the bed.

_Like the five-year-old he is._

_What? It's storytime! I'm sure the podcast's good if Nico's doing it._

_You're gross._

_You know you love me._

*Bianca groans. Long, drawn out, overdramatic*

_We're telling the story of junior year._

_Why?_

_You'd like to know, wouldn't you?_

_I can get it out of you one way or another._

*Another groan from Bianca*

_What part are you at?_

Christmas. You walked in just in time.

_Ooo, fun! Go on, death boy, tell me a storyyyyyy._

He's rocking back and forth. He's fucking rocking back and forth like a kindergartener.

_I'm tired, though. ... Will, no. ... I said no! Will! ... ugh, fine. Just stop pouting._

_Yay!_

_Christmas, then we're __both__going to bed._

In separate. Rooms.

_I'm not arguing there. I want to be awake when we finish recording tomorrow, not a zombie who's been up all night._

TMI! Will, stop wagging your eyebrows! Ahh! Go, Nico, just go!

* * *

**END NOTES**

A surprise visitor! Happy we got some solangelo? Well, you'll love next week's chapter...

Thank you to /pick-up-lines/ for providing me with those terrible, terrible pick-up lines.

This week's beta commentary:

STORY: I grabbed every bottle of alcohol, every pack of cigarettes, every little baggie of marijuana (at least I hoped they were all pot leaves)  
JOJO: nico is apparently also hiding oregano, very italian  
MELODY: Nico, what is this?!  
MELODY: Are you hoarding  
MELODY: CILANTRO?

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week (probably... hopefully... maybe)!

**COMMENTS**

Thank you to **maryhadalittlelamb123456789014 **and **SociopathicChild **for favoriting this story!

**Guest**

_:Amazing. Nico is dying inside and overwhelmed and the same time! Just beautiful...keep going I love the story :) 3_

Aw thank you! Hopefully you're still reading...

**Demigod Life**

_omg I'm hooked!_

_this story is so good and I can't wait for the next part._  
_The darkness of Nico really contrasts with sweetness of Bianca._

_i love how we get an insight into more of what Bianca's like. I love this chapter!_

_I feel bad for little Nico but I can't wait to find out how him and Will get together. And the bombshell about pregnant Thalia...didn't see that coming! I can't wait to see what you do with it._

_Really love this and can't wait for the next part! And sorry for such long review, I just wanted to let you know how much I loved it._

Never apologize for long comments, I love 'em! And I'm so sorry I made you wait this long for an update...

**Fenikkusu94**

_Theory Time. Hazel loves Frank. Ocatvian wants Hazel. Ocatavian blackmails Hazel with info about Frank._

We shall see.

_Wow, no wonder Nico thinks Hades doesnt love him. But to be fair Hades hasnt exactly tried to reach out to him as he should._

Yeah, but to be fair Hades is a very flawed character, human or god, and his biggest flaw (to me) is an inability to reach out to others emotionally. Except Persephone... maybe.

**Junebug**

_A) Thank you for noticing meeeeee!_  
_B) Nico is reading this over my shoulder. He says that there is no way in Hades that he would be chanting 'don't cry don't cry don't cry' over and over in his head. He's right. He would be full-out sobbing._  
_N: Hey!_  
_Me: :)_

You're welcome! And shhh, you can't say that in front of Nico! (Even though it's true)

_Wait... Frank asked out Hazel and she said NO?_  
_N: Oh, boy... Here we go again..._  
_Me: Shut up, Nico._  
_N: Make me._  
_Me: I will, once I'm done with the review. Now go play with your action figures._  
_N: They're figurines! Not action figures!_  
_Me: Same difference._

_You made Hazel say NO to Frank? And OCTAVIAN asked her out?!_  
_N: No way._  
_Me: NICO!_

In the words of Bianca di Angelo: NICO STOP BUTTING IN!

**Pandamonium1868**

_Omg. You. HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO FINISH THIS! i love it, 99% im just not crazy about nico smoking. I get it, hes in pain, but it still feels... Wrong to me. But i'll follow you through, this is A-MAZE-ing_

Well, it's getting finished now! Uh, it was always finished, but now I'm finishing posting... whatever, you get it. And tastes are tastes, I don't have Nico smoking in any of my other fics, but in this one it felt right. Teens smoke and vape, and Nico's looking for an escape.

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_I love the chapter! I'm just going to point out that the chapter name is 1000% the plot of tcoda. I love that Nico and Hazel are starting to bond, I love their relationship in canon! I can't wait for the next chapter, keep up the good work!_

Yes lol it is, 100%. And I'm sorry I made you wait like a gazillion years for this chapter, but... yeah, no buts. I'm sorry.

_that was one ***up thanksgiving... I loved the chapter though!_

_(sorry for the delayed review, I was in Guatemala with no Wi-Fi so I couldn't comment or anything)_

It was indeed! And no worries about the delayed review, I'm sorry about the delayed upload.


	11. Nico di Angelo: The Italian Spiderman

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Will convinces Nico to hang out with him.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2801  
Content Warning: None

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

Are we all sitting quietly? Bianca? Will?

**_We are, Mr. Death Boy. Storytime!_**

*Bianca laughs*

_Will, you're so immature sometimes!_

**_Now you sound like Nico._**

Would you like me to get on with the story, or should I just go to bed, leave you two lovebirds alone?

_Oh, don't start that up again._

**_God, I see it, I see it... I'm getting flashbacks!_**

You're pre-med, sunshine, you can't make those kinds of jokes anymore.

...

Okay, so, last thing, and then I am going to sleeeeeep.

I should've known something was up when Bianca started coughing.

You gotta understand, Bianca has the immune system of a _god_. She never, ever, ever gets sick. And when she does, it's so mild that we barely notice.

**_Or maybe she's just really good at faking how to be healthy to set a good example for you, since you suck at it._**

Can everyone stop interrupting me?!

_Now you see how it feels! So, maybe you won't do it to me next time._

I swear I'm going to scream and wake up the whole house. You, be a good kindergartener, and you, just... shut up.

So, when we get into the limo, Bianca starts coughing. By the time we get home, she's red in the face. Will does the whole "caring boyfriend" schtick, brings her to her room, blah, blah, blah. Percy's with his dad, Poseidon, so when Will gets back from Bianca's side, it's just the two of us. I offered to call Jules-Albert to take him home, but Will refused. I got ready to cuss him out; I was getting really sick of his whole "let's-be-friends" thing.

**_No you weren't._**

But I wanted to be.

"I just need a favor," Will told me. "I'm leaving for North Carolina tomorrow morning, and I still have no idea what to get Bianca for Christmas. I can't show up at school in January without anything for my girlfriend! That's crap."

"It doesn't matter," I muttered. "We don't celebrate Christmas, anyway."

"You don't? Why not?!" he cried. He sounded, I dunno, like it was the biggest deal in the universe or something.

**_It is! Christmas is a beautiful holiday!_**

I'm going to kick you out if you don't shut the fuck up. Dick.

_OMG Will please stop doing that with your eyebrows! I don't need to think about you and my brother fucking! Geez!_

For the millionth time, I wanted to tell Will to get lost. But he was looking at me with those puppy dog eyes, so innocent, not an ounce of cynicism in them. Legitimately concerned... I never saw anyone look at me like that outside Bianca and, now, Hazel. My heart kinda melted. Yeah, yeah, make all the Grinch jokes you like, but something just changed. Call it the Christmas spirit.

"It's a long story," I said.

"I got time," Will insisted.

"When I was ten, and we still lived in Italy, Papà couldn't come home for one Christmas. So, my Mamma decided we'd fly to him." And I told him the story of the plane crash, everything I said way at the beginning of this recording, practically word-for-word. I even included the part about Papà putting me in the psych ward. I mean, he already knew, so I wanted to give him my side of the story. Will was-is-a really good listener.

**_Aw, thanks, death boy._**

Shh! Or no more compliments!

...

"Even when Bianca finally did wake up, things were different," I finished. "My dad had thrown me out like trash. Mamma was dead. I was getting fitted for this brace on my knee because I couldn't walk without it. Bianca couldn't feed herself, or even speak English. It just... wasn't the same anymore."

"No kidding," Will said. "Okay, then. No Christmas." He met my eye. "But I still need to get her something. Not a Christmas present, just a gift to the person who saw _me_, who made sure the first face _I _saw was a friendly one, who gave me a place to go and person to talk to when I had none, who made sure I wasn't alone when I was terrified I was going to be."

"You didn't have friends back home?" I asked.

"No one I could count on," Will answered. His voice was a little heavy with... something. There was another story there, something he wasn't telling me. "Look, you love your sister," he said. "I love her, too. I need to do something for her when she's done so much for me, and I want it to be great. You know her better than anyone."

_Aww, Will, that's so sweet! Thank you!_

**_You're welcome. I would also like to take this time to point out that I meant platonically. Not romantically._**

But I didn't know that. How could I? You guys told me you were going out. Percy hadn't even dropped the L-word about Annabeth, at least, not around me. Hearing it cut me like a knife. A lump formed in my throat. I pushed it down.

"I have an idea," I forced myself to say. "Bianca just got a new bow. Competition season's coming up, and she doesn't have a carrying case for it yet. Looked for one everywhere, but there's nothing she likes online, and she hasn't had time to run to the store. Grab it for her."

Will's face lit up. My heart went on overdrive. "That's perfect!" he said. "Where do we go? To the mall?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. We?" The last thing I needed was to spend even more time with him when I was so close to cracking.

"Yeah," Will said. "I get it, you have bad memories. Let's make some new ones."

He looked at me with those puppy dog eyes again, and I couldn't say no to anything.

"Not the mall," I said. "I know a better place."

Will asked me where Jules-Albert was taking us about once every five seconds. "I'll tell you when we fucking get there, Solace, stop with the 'are we there yet?'" I snapped.

Will pouted. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. There was a knot in the bottom of my chest. How easy would it be to reach over and kiss him? He was so close, and yet so far. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that I was gay when I didn't want to be, that I had a crush on two different straight guys, that I felt this way about my sister's boyfriend. And it wasn't fair that I was already having fun.

We got to the Field of Mars. From the outside, it's just a wooden lodge with a tacky neon sign. I told Will we were here. He looked at me skeptically. "Why's a store named a field?

"The fields are behind the building," I said. "And it's more than just a store." I pushed the front door open for him. We walked inside. I led him to the balcony a few yards in front of us. "Welcome to the best place on Earth."

Will took it all in. Below us, in the basement, was a massive arena decked out so it looked like a playground, obstacle course, and fortress combined. On one side of it was an indoor shooting range with soundproof walls and moving targets on conveyor belts. On the back wall, stone stairs led to the archery range outside.

All Will could say was, "Whoa."

"Store's on the other side," I said with smirk.

We walked into the store. It takes up the entire first floor; it's even bigger than the obstacle course. It's filled to the brim with hunting and hunting-related sporting goods. Think a Macy's department store, but for weapons instead of clothes and jewelry.

Ares, the owner, stood behind the cash register. He's a huge, decked-out thirty-something with a crew cut and savage scars on his cheeks, like he'd gotten slashed with knives. I'm guessing either an army dude, or mafia ties. It's a toss up. He's usually in black jeans, combat boots, and a leather jacket. He wears red-tinted sunglasses, even in the winter. I've never seen his eyes.

"Ares," I greeted him.

**_More like acknowledged him. You didn't sound happy or anything._**

'Cause it's Ares. You can't look weak in front of Ares.

**_Happiness is weakness?_**

_It is for Ares._

Exactly.

Ares slapped me on the back; it knocked the wind out of me. "Hey, squirt! Long time no see."

I said something super smart, like, "Urgh," as I coughed. "I mean, I've been busy," I managed. "We're grabbing something for B. Back soon."

I pulled Will away from the register. "Did you see the size of that guy's knife?" Will whispered.

"He owns a weapon's shop," I pointed out.

"But... it's, like, the size of my face," Will told me.

"I know," I said, "Ares doesn't go anywhere without his toys. C'mon."

We weaved through the aisles pretty quick. I know that place like the back of my hand. Will was gawking at everything, in shock and also terrified. "_This _is your happy place?" Will asked me incredulously.

_Ooo, fancy word._

I had English class too, B.

"It's weapons and violence and no one gets hurt," I said. "You've never wanted to play a real-life video game?"

"We've got enough violence without making a game out of it," Will muttered. I didn't say anything; I got the sense I wasn't supposed to hear that.

We picked out a brown, leather quiver with a hard bottom with a carrying case attached. Then, Will looked at the price. "Geez," he said, "$500 for a quiver?"

"Good quality quivers usually run at 300," I said. "So with the bow case attached, $500 is not that bad."

"It's perfect, but I can't afford this. I spent all my money on the plane home."

"Didn't your mom buy you that?" I asked.

Will shook his head. "She barely breaks even. I saved up everything I didn't have to send home; I've been putting it aside since school started."

"I thought the school store didn't pay you," I said. "It's just part of your scholarship, so you don't have to pay tuition."

"It doesn't," Will said. "I have a second one."

"Oh," I said. "What is it?"

Will looked at his feet. I decided not to pry. He started to put the quiver back, but I stopped him.

"I'll pay the difference. It'll be a gift from both of us."

"I can't ask you to do that," Will said.

"I'm offering, dipshit." I pulled my wallet out of my pocket. "Let's get going."

"Find what you're looking for?" Ares asked. I nodded. "You're gonna go on the range, right?"

"I- I have things I need to do," I mumbled.

Ares laughed. His laugh booms so much it's more like an explosion.

_That was a painful simile. Go back, try again._

**_I think it was cute._**

Thank you, Will.

_You're too nice to him._

Ares continued, "I insist. Show pretty boy your stuff. Some college kids took control of the fortress yesterday, and I'm sick of them clearing out potential recruits- I mean, customers. Get rid of 'em for me." Ares tossed me a key. "Locker 10A. I cleaned it for ya."

"All right," I said. No one says no to Ares.

"I'll be watching," Ares told me. "My offer still stands. You ever need a job, that hack of an instructor can kiss my ass."

"Not today," I said. "But I will give you a show."

"You do archery too?" Will asked when we left the store. He's always dead quiet in front of Ares.

**_Guy's intimidating._**

He's not gonna skewer you in his own store. Probably.

"Nah, archery's not my style," I said. We went down the stairs to the locker room. It's a pretty quick walk, minute at most. I unlocked locker 10A. "I'd like to introduce you to my baby." Out of the locker came a freshly polished, wicked-long black sword. "This is Erebos." Will kept his eyes on the sword, a little freaked out.

**_A lot freaked out._**

"Let me show you what that arena is for," I said.

Will sat on the bench just outside the glass walls of the arena. I climbed inside. I never wear protective armor. It slows me down. Not that it matters; no one ever lands a hit on me. I may not be the biggest or the strongest in a fistfight, but put a sword in my hand and I'm unstoppable.

I hadn't practiced since the summer, before the Announcement™, but swordplay is like riding a bike. It's instinct. Your body remembers even when your mind forgets.

The college kids had made a base out of the top of the fortress. I scaled the rock wall in seconds flat, then pushed myself onto the upper platform. I had to cross a bridge to get to the stairs that led to their base, but doing so would put me out in the open. So, I dangled myself on the outer edge of the bridge, hanging by the tips of my fingers, thirty-foot drop below me. I dragged myself across, hand over hand, until I reached the other side. I pulled myself up, dashed up the stairs, and, in a flash, I was outside their base.

The two guards held their swords up. Two against one. Perfect. I liked a challenge.

One, two, three. One quick jab and twist, and guard #1's sword flew over the side and onto the floor yards below us. She jumped over the side to get it. Four, five, six. Feint, parry, jab, kick, and #2 fell over the edge onto a mat on a lower platform. Their buddies finally noticed me. Seven, eight, nine. I ducked to avoid #3's swipe. Iron met steel. Adrenaline pumped through my body. I was on my home turf.

Ten, eleven, twelve. I jumped up the wall, then kicked off, and grabbed onto the bar above me. Chin up. I was on the roof now.

Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. I took the mesh guard off the skylight. I dropped in, hanging by my fingertips again, and kicked their leader in the face to knock him out. Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen. #3 finally caught up to me. I smiled. "Not today," I said to myself.

Nineteen, twenty. I grabbed #3 by the strap of his protective vest and threw him into the wall. The tip of my sword was at her chest.

"I surrender!" she yelled. I heard people cheering below me. I'd attracted a crowd.

"Twenty seconds!" Ares shouted from his spot behind the register. "You're getting slow, kid!" I flipped him the bird. He laughed.

I climbed back to the ground. I sparred with a couple of middle school fans; obviously I went much easier on them. Still, I was hot and sweaty when I got back to Will.

"That was amazing," Will said.

"Thanks," I replied. "I guess everyone has something they're good at. I got this, since I'm shit at everything else."

"Why's your sword called 'Erebos?'" Will asked.

"I was obsessed with that card game, Mythomagic, when I lived in Italy," I explained. "Bianca gave me this sword for my twelfth birthday, after we discovered this place. Erebos is another name for the Greek place of the dead. This was my little tribute to my kid self. I'd live out my childhood fantasy; be a Greek hero, complete with a sword to wield."

"Will you teach me one day?" Will asked.

That caught me off-guard. He wanted to spend more time with me? That was such a bad idea it wasn't even funny. Will, hot and sweaty, seeing him on the regular, alone, intimate. I had to get him out of my life, get over this crush, get on with things. But, sitting there with him, I felt so... at peace.

"There's no getting rid of you, is there?" I asked him.

"Nope," Will said, popping the 'P'.

I wanted so badly to close the distance between us and put my lips on his. It would've been so easy...

But that wasn't going to happen. It couldn't. If I had to feel this way, I'd let myself. It would hurt, but what in my life didn't? I couldn't bring myself to say I loved him the way I loved Percy, I honestly didn't know what this was. All I knew was that I couldn't let it go. He'd wormed his way into my heart, even though I'd done everything in my power to keep him out. The only thing that would hurt worse than loving him... was losing him.

"Friends?" I said. I held my hand out to him.

Will took it. "Friends."

*Recording ends*

* * *

**END NOTES**

This week's beta commentary:

STORY: Happiness is weakness? It is for Ares.  
JOJO: poor sunshine, that must be so confusing to him  
MELODY: Will's so positive and then there's this.

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**Fenikkusu94**

_I think I said it before and I will say it again best Solangelo story I've seen in a long time. I can't wait for more! Eeeeeeeeeee!_

More is here!

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_I literally screamed in joy when I saw this updated! it's be soooo long but I'm glad you're back! I love the chapter. the love letters part was hilarious; I started cracking up. I loved that presant(future?)!Will made an appearance, the soleAngelo is so cute, I love it. I can't wait for the next chapter!_

I'm glad you're happy I'm back, and I'm sorry it took so long. I hope the chapter made up for it!


	12. Phase Four: Let's Go to the Dam Snackbar

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Valentine's day arrives.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2688  
Content Warning: None

I was too tired to post yesterday (my dogs only let me get three hours of sleep and then I had a late shift at work) so I decided to morning post.

Hard to believe we're more than halfway through. Enjoy, guys :)

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

_Aaaaand, we're online._

Perfect, thanks, Nico.

_It's what I'm here for. You know we gotta finish this today if you want it ready in time. I'm going to have a lot to edit._

Well, let's get started, then.

Will told me the good news when he and Nico got back from the Field of Mars. I was so happy I almost screamed. It took a few months, but my plan was working. This was the first time since, like, ever that Nico actually made a friend. Six years of badgering and all it took was some cash from my pocket? _I should've done this years ago_, I thought.

Things couldn't have gone better that January. Nico joined Percy, Will, and I in the afternoons to do homework. He talked, he laughed, he even started doing this running, sarcastic commentary every time we'd read from our textbooks together. I'd never had so much fun doing homework.

I didn't catch him drunk anymore. He got high maybe once every few weeks, and only on the weekends. He still didn't talk to Persephone, but he didn't ignore her either. When she tried to talk to him directly, he'd usually give one-word answers, or a nod, a smile, a wave, something like that. It was progress, to say the least, and Persephone took solace in the little victory.

_Solace. Heh._

No pun intended.

_Accidental puns are the best._

In early February, while the four of us were doing homework, Hazel and Reyna came thundering down the stairs. I heard Reyna saying something like, "Hazel, you can't force them to do that."

Percy raised his eyebrows. Will and I laughed; Nico dropped his eyes to the floor and shrugged.

_I didn't want them to see I was blushing._

Hazel and Reyna came into the living room... well, _Hazel _came into the living room. Reyna was kind of dragged in.

"Can we interrupt?" Hazel asked.

"It's just homework, you're not interrupting anything," I said.

"Yeah, give me any reason to put off trig," Percy said. "I get it, Sine, Cosine, Tangent. Why do worksheets fucking exist when we can use calculators?"

"I'm with you there," Will said. "What's up, little sis?"

Hazel smiled. She loves it when Will calls her that. "So, the Valentine's Day dance is in ten days..." she began. I saw Nico stiffen up, but he didn't say anything or storm out of the room. Again, little victories. "We should all go together and do something before the party!"

"You don't want to spend the afternoon with Octavian?" I asked.

"He's busy," Hazel said quickly. "I thought we could do like a triple date. Percy, Annabeth, you and Will, Nico and me."

"What about Reyna?" I asked.

"I don't do Valentine's Day," Reyna said. "Besides, I have a student gov meeting with Frank." She was freshman class president, and Frank was her vice.

"Oh, that's why you're not with Octavian; he's at the meeting," Nico said. He studied Hazel. I wondered what he was looking for.

"Yup," Hazel replied, just as fast as before. I could tell she wanted to shut down the conversation. There was definitely something fishy going on between her and Nico. I wondered why I didn't know about it; Nico told me everything.

"Sounds fun," Will said.

"Yeah, I'm in, too," Percy agreed.

"I thought you were going to Grover's," Nico said.

"He's spending the day with Juniper," Percy said. Juniper was Grover's new girlfriend.

"Oh, okay," Nico replied. He sounded a little... nervous.

_That's an understatement. Why the fuck would I want to spend Valentine's day with both of my crushes with both of their girlfriends? But I had to go. Hazel was being really weird about Octavian, which meant I had a good chance to do recon. I hadn't forgotten the day I walked in on Hazel crying. Why did she feel like she had to be with Octavian? If the son of a bitch was pressuring her into anything, he would get what was coming to him. So, I agreed to go with them to the dance._

We decided to go to this cute diner called the Dam Snackbar. Yeah, I love the pun too. Annabeth agreed to join us as soon as we invited her. Everything was set.

I was so happy Nico was coming. This was my proof that Will was working. Nico had never gone to a school dance before, and now he was coming to one, and a pre-party too.

Flash forward to Valentine's day. Will and I spent bio planning out what we were going to do at the diner and at the dance. There was a lot of pressure on-we had to make sure Nico had a good enough time that he'd want to go out with friends more. If he had a bad time, he'd have an excuse not to leave the house again. I didn't want him to go back to his old self.

But, Will and I were a quote-unquote "couple," which meant that most people would expect us to spend the night alone together. We could count on Hazel to keep Nico happy when we were at the diner, but she'd be off with Octavian during the dance. We decided to use the Jason situation as an excuse. I'd tell Jason what Piper said (that she knew about his crush and liked him back, I mean) and then I'd spend part of the night trying to get him to ask her out. That would give Will an excuse to get away from me and talk to Nico. I'd kill two birds with one stone: my brother and Jason. It was the perfect plan.

Annabeth and Hazel came home with us, along with our usual crowd. Since Hazel didn't have anything after school (that's why she normally didn't join us) she sat on the bleachers and watched archery practice. I told her she could wait inside (it was super cold, California in the winter always is) but she refused. She even convinced Nico to join her since he didn't have detention.

Thalia kept coming to archery practice, even though she hadn't been able to shoot for almost a month; the baby bump got in the way. She helped Coach Artemis plan and coach practice instead. Sometimes, she'd run the practice alone so Coach Artemis could instruct Zoë one-on-one, prepare her for Jupiter's in the spring. Since both Thalia and I couldn't go to the competition, Zoë would be competing in the single's tournament instead. A lot was riding on her shoulders.

Thalia was running Phoebe, Naiomi, Celyn and I through drills when her phone went off. She ignored it at first, but whoever it was kept calling. After the fourth time, she caved and took the call. Her face fell. She didn't say a word, and then she hung up. "I have to go," she said quietly.

I grabbed her hand. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I'll see you... when I see you," Thalia replied. She wouldn't look any of us in the eye. She grabbed her backpack and slowly walked away. Coach Artemis didn't stop her. From her dark, guarded expression, she knew what was wrong with Thalia. I was sure of one thing: this had something to do with Luke.

_I think I should take over from here. You got through all your... we'll say "exciting" stuff. My shit's better from this point out._

Go ahead. Dick.

_Dick and proud._

* * *

I sat with Hazel on the bleachers, pretending to watch Bianca's archery practice. I couldn't focus on anything but Percy... story of my life up until that point. How was I going to get through an entire afternoon and night watching him with Annabeth? I hated Annabeth, or at least, I thought I did. She was the one who Percy loved when he could've loved me. Why didn't he love me when I'd loved him for so long?

Now, I'm good at hiding my feelings. Like, really good. Katniss Everdeen has nothing on me. The only one who can usually see through me is Bianca, and she's had a lifetime of practice. Even someone like Piper, who's insanely good with people, usually can't see through my blank stares and dead eyes. But, somehow, Hazel knew where my mind was. After sitting silently with me for almost all of the two hours, she turned and said, "I know you're dreading this."

I forced what I hoped was a snarky smile on my face. "How do you know I'm dreading it?" I asked, trying to sound like I was joking around.

"You hate people," she replied.

I playfully nudged her with my shoulder. I know, I know, I keep saying how much I hate people touching me, but something was always different with Hazel. "I love people," I protested. "I'm a social butterfly. I go to all the parties and make out with beautiful actresses and chant 'chug, chug, chug!' "

Hazel giggled, but she was still looking at me with concern, the kind of look I used to only get from Bianca. But there was something else behind her eyes... it was like she knew something, like she was reading my mind and knew what-or who-was on my brain. She took my hand and said, "Whenever things get bad, just look at me, and it'll be okay." She smiled. "That's what I do. I think about you, and I'm happy again."

I put my arm around her shoulder and side-hugged her. "Thanks, sis," I said.

"You've never called me 'sis' before," Hazel noticed. She sounded so happy.

I grinned at her again, but this smile was for real. "That's what you are, isn't it? You're _la mia sorellina ad amare, proteggere, e curare_."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means 'my little sister to love, protect, and care for.' That's what Mamma would always say to Bianca and me, except we were her _piccoli bambini_." I squeezed Hazel's hand. "And I will love, protect, and care for you, Hazel, 'til the day I die." I let out a little laugh. "It turns out Papà betraying Mamma was a good thing. I got you."

I could see tears in Hazel's eyes, but she didn't let them out. That's when I realized that maybe she'd arranged the afternoon because she needed moral support, too. She knew that I could read her the way she could read me. She was asking me to help her in her own little way.

Hazel held her water bottle up like she was making a toast. "Like they say in New Orleans, _laissez les bons temps rouler_."

I held up my can of Coke. "_Laissez les bons temps rouler._"

We drank.

_A+ Cajun accent there, Nico. Did you learn from Dick van Dyke himself?_

I'm an Italian attempting to speak U.S.-American French. Lay. Off.

I didn't say much on the ride home; I was too busy freaking out. I was hyper-aware of the way Annabeth was pressing her leg against Percy's. I hated the way she teased him, and how loud his laughs were. I felt claustrophobic in that limo. I wanted to claw through the walls like an animal. When it got too much, I glanced at Hazel and forced myself to breathe. It worked better than I thought it would.

I hated how long it took for me to get changed into my clothes for the dance. I stood in front of my closet for ages, as though the right shirt or pair of jeans would make Percy Jackson love me. Finally, I caved. I pulled out my phone.

* * *

THE HUNTRESS

I need a good outfit for the dance. Help?

**Help is on the way ;)**

* * *

I heard a knock at the door pretty soon after that. But when I opened it, it wasn't Bianca, it was Will.

"What do you want, Solace?" I deadpanned.

"To whip you into shape," he said cheerfully. "Lemme look in your closet."

He stood there for a long time. "Okay, your clothes suck. You do know there are other colors besides black, right?"

"Colors are overrated," I said.

Then, Will threw a shirt at me. "Your jeans will work with this. I brought a second shirt in case I didn't like the first one. It's yours now," he told me. My heart started to race. It _smelled _like him, and it was driving me crazy.

"You want me to wear a button down. Are you crazy?" I protested, doing my best to keep my voice from shaking.

"It's a dance! You're supposed to dress up a little. The shirt's going to be a little big, but tuck in the bottom and roll up the sleeves and you'll be fine." He pushed past me and grabbed a pair of black military combat boots. I hadn't worn them since Westover Hall, the military school Bianca and I went to for about ten seconds. I hadn't worn them in forever. I didn't even know if they'd fit.

But I could never say no to Will. So, I squeezed into them. Will looked away while I changed. I felt hot and sweaty; my heart was beating a million miles an hour. I couldn't kick him out without telling him I was gay and that my mind was going places it _should not go_. Why else would I care? I changed in front of men at gym all the time.

That shirt was driving me insane. I prayed to every god I could think of that I'd get used to the smell and tune it out, and that, until then, my dick wouldn't want to say hi.

_Ew, that's gross._

It's just biology, B. The birds and the bees.

_Excuse me if I don't want to picture my brother with a hard-on._

We made it to the Dam Snackbar without any drama. Percy said I looked nice. My heart fucking stopped, and I was sure I'd died. But we joked around, ate some pretty good food, and it was actually a fun time. Even Annabeth wasn't enough to ruin it. Sure, I counted how many times Percy smiled at me or laughed at my sarcastic commentary—

_That, as you can see, he still loves way too much._

—but that was perfectly normal, right?

_Uhh, no._

They got that. Bianca, if you want to make comments as good as mine, you need to try a little harder. Say what everyone is thinking, but too nice to say. Think outside the box.

_Oh, like "Nico loves his sarcastic little quips to mask his insecurities?_"

Exactly! You learn well, grasshopper.

I didn't want dinner to end. If I could glue all our asses onto the gaudy red booth couches, I would've. But, obviously, it had to end. Bianca paid the check—it was our treat since dinner was Hazel's idea—and we piled back into the limo. The sun was already set. The night sky was beautiful, romantic, like a movie straight out of Hollywood. What I wouldn't give for one kiss under those stars. My brain fought it out, Percy or Will? Not that it mattered; neither of them would ever kiss me.

I was the first one out of the car. I walked as fast as I could into the gymnasium; all I could think about was how badly I needed to get out of there. I didn't stop until someone grabbed me and pulled me into a deserted hallway. I tried to yank my arm away, but the guy was too damn strong.

"Get your hands off of me!" I snarled. I looked up at him. He was a tall, muscular Asian guy, even more built that Bryce. There was no way I could take him in a fight. Was he from the Titans? I didn't owe Alabaster any money, did I? I hadn't bought anything from him in the past few weeks...

We turned the corner. "Let him go, Frank," Reyna said.

He let me go. "Why the fuck did you kidnap me?" I snarled.

"Octavian's blackmailing Hazel," she replied. "We need your help to get her out."

* * *

**END NOTES**

I feel like I should have some of that dramatic soap opera music at the end of every chapter. Cliffhangers, cliffhangers, cliffhangers galore.

(Cliffhanger, hanging from a cliff! And that's why he's called cliffhanger! Anyone get that reference? Just me? Ok.)

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: "Colors are overrated," I said.  
JOJO: wow, do you have any other slogans from, like, hot topic?  
JOJO: (i can make fun of him i lived in Depression Black™ for years as a teenager too lmao)  
LUNA: What are you talking about, I still live in depression black  
MELODY: Hot Topic's logo should be Nico in depression black with the word bubble "I wore it before it was cool"  
JOJO: nico was wearing it in 2008 that's like exactly when it was cool

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

** Fenikkusu94**

_Why!? I hate cliffhangers and now even more reason to hate on the bastard named Octavian._

You hate cliffhangers and you read my stories? I mean, it's your funeral. :P

** GryffindorkofOz**

_NOT HAZEL_

_NOOOOO_

...yes.

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_I love this so much! I was desperately hoping that will would help Nico button his shirt and then they would kiss (even though I know it wouldn't happen). I love the chapter and can't wait for the next one!_

I'm sorry, but obviously we know that they'll get together eventually. Shippy moments will come, I promise.


	13. Let All the Ships Come True

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

The Valentine's Day dance.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2358  
Content Warning: None

Sorry I'm posting so late, but... um, yeah, I have no excuse except I was out late drinking with my friends on Monday. Soooooooo... yeah.

Yeah, I know this one's super short. But this chapter and last week's were supposed to be one chapter, but then I had to split them up, yada, yada, yada.

Also, I added the comments to the previous chapter. Sorry I forgot last week!

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

"What do you mean, Octavian's blackmailing Hazel?" I asked Frank and Reyna. I was stunned. I'd suspected something was off about their relationship, but blackmail? This was high school, not a James Bond movie!

"I know it sounds crazy," Reyna said, "but hear us out. You don't know Octavian like we do. He's not a nice guy."

"Not nice how?" I asked.

"Power-hungry," she answered. "He wanted to be class president, but he lost to me every year in middle school. He got smart and ran for secretary this time so he'd have some power over student council. He's been trying to undermine my authority and sabotage me the entire year. He's bitter. It's been frustrating, but mostly harmless until he got Hazel involved."

"Okay," I said slowly, "but you guys seriously think he'd blackmail Hazel into dating him over that stupid grudge? That's insane."

"I know," Frank replied. "Reyna didn't believe me either, at first. But I have proof. I got this the first week of school." He showed me a screenshot of an anonymous text on his phone.

PRIVATE

**Stay away from Hazel Levesque or I'll make you pay.**

**I know you asked her out tonight. Break up with her or I'll make your life a living hell.**

**273 Maple St.**  
**Everton, CA**

"Is that your address?" I asked.

"No," Frank said, "it's Reyna's. I told Hazel I changed my mind. I didn't want Reyna to get hurt, and whoever it was could've been dangerous."

I handed him his phone back. "Why didn't you tell Hazel you were being threatened?" I asked. "You know, a lot of people wouldn't get their hearts broken if they just used their goddamn words."

_..._

I might've been talking from experience.

Bianca stop looking at me like that.

Stop looking at me!

*Beep*

Frank looked down. Reyna cut in, "Because we thought it was you. You've got a reputation, Nico. We knew from Hazel's stories how much you hated her, even if she didn't frame it like that. And Frank asked her out at Bianca's party, in your house, where you could've easily overheard. We thought you wanted to hurt her as revenge over her mom. But she was so determined to have a relationship with you; she'd never've believed us."

"When you guys made up at Thanksgiving, and she was suddenly dating Octavian, I realized it was him," Frank continued. "Hazel's popular in our grade; everyone likes her. She's a great artist and writer. She helped Reyna and me campaign, and was a big reason why we ended up winning. Octavian knew it, too. If they were dating, she'd have to help him in this year's race. Maybe he'd even make her his vice for the extra popularity."

"Why should I trust you guys?" I challenged. "Frank, when I spoke to Hazel, she said you asked her out and _she_ said no, not the other way around. I'd believe you're jealous and trying to break them up before I'd believe this spy thriller shit."

"That's exactly what I said," Reyna replied. "I didn't believe Octavian would go that far either. But today at the student gov meeting, Mrs. Lupa announced the Olympus Scholarship. They're sending whoever wins the presidency in each grade this year to Washington DC to intern in the White House. Octavian wants to play politics after he graduates. Making connections like that's half the battle, not to mention the attention he'll get from colleges with that on his resumé. And you know who's a major contributor to the scholarship?"

"Papà," I realized.

"He wanted to make sure she was single, so when he found something on her, he could strike," Frank finished. "You know she's miserable with him. Why else would she stay? Octavian hits below the belt; he always has."

"I'm going to kill him," I said.

"As long as you leave a bit for me," Frank growled.

"We can't do anything until we know what he has on her," Reyna put in. "And that's where you come in. Octavian knows us, how we think, what we can do. He's already outmatched us in student gov. But he doesn't know anything about you."

"I'll do it," I told them. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: no one messes with my sister.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the land of the sane, Percy, Annabeth, Will, and I were in the gymnasium. Octavian snatched Hazel up almost as soon as we walked through the door. I yelled after her to have fun. Her smile looked forced, but I chalked that up to nerves. And before you say I should've realized something was wrong, I wasn't the one who saw Hazel crying, and I wasn't the one Frank and Reyna assaulted in the hallway. As far as I knew, things didn't work out with Frank, so Octavian stepped in. That happens in high school all the time.

_Wow, defensive much?_

Ugh, nevermind.

We lost Percy and Annabeth pretty soon after that, too. I wanted to look for Nico, but Will reminded me that it would look weird if I spent the entire night with my brother instead of my date. And the two of us running around the halls alone? By Monday, there'd be rumors we snuck off to have sex, and I was _not _dealing with that.

So, we danced for a while, joked around, grabbed some food in the caf. We hung out with Jason and Leo, who were both going stag because Jason still didn't have any balls around Piper, and Cally had dumped Leo yet again. The rest of us had a bet going on how long before they'd get back together. It was pointless, though, because Rachel always won. That's how she got her nickname: the Oracle. Rachel and Piper, who'd come together as friend-dates, were dancing with Grover and Juniper close by.

The best moment of the night came around nine o'clock. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nico come into the gymnasium. He'd been gone for almost an hour. I was relieved and worried at the same time. What was he doing in the halls for so long? Will and I hadn't seen him in the caf when we got food. Had he started drinking again? Or maybe he was vandalizing the school for the umpteenth time.

Will followed my eyes to Nico. He whispered in my ear, "I'll figure it out. You have fun."

"Hey! We're having a conversation here, Solace!" Leo protested. "Share with the group. Whatever it is, it better be dirty."

Jason's eyes widened. He over-apologized to Will like always. I tried not to laugh, but it looked like he was about to get on his knees and grovel.

"It's nothing," Will assured him. "Leo, I said that Bianca should tell Jason that Piper said she likes him."

Then, like the troll Will is, he walked away while Jason had a heart attack.

Like we predicted, Leo was too distracted with golden boy to notice anything. "In and out, in and out," he directed him, complete with the up and down hand motions. Jason had to take a few deep breaths before he got the ability to speak again.

Jason grabbed me by the shoulders and cried, "Piper WHAT?!"

I told him about the whole yelling-at-Percy-for-his-love-letters thing. Near the end of the story, Percy and Annabeth joined us in our little circle. "I heard my name, what's up?" Percy said.

"You're a fucking superstar, that's what's up," Jason said, then he grabbed Percy and kissed him on both cheeks like the secret Italian he was. Percy staggered back, a little stunned. Annabeth, Leo, and I couldn't keep from laughing.

"Okay, are you _sure _you're not gay?" Leo asked.

"We'd love you anyway!" I added.

"Not going to lie, I might be a little gay for Percy right now," Jason admitted.

Percy shrugged at Annabeth. "Sorry, wise girl, he said it, I'm in love with someone else." He grabbed Jason and pecked him full on the mouth.

_So. Not. Fair._

Annabeth, Leo, and I doubled over with laughter. Piper, Rachel, Grover, and Juniper ran over. "Do my eyes deceive me, or did Percy and Jason finally admit their undying love for each other?!" Rachel cried dramatically.

_Theatre majors._

She's majoring in set design and stagecraft, Nico.

_Still. They're all the same._

"It was meant to be," Grover said with tears in his eyes. "I'll be your best man, Percy."

"I call the maid of honor!" Leo shouted.

"I still don't know what I did to deserve this," Percy said. "Can someone explain what's going on?"

Jason didn't respond. He turned his back to Percy, grabbed Piper, and said, "Piper McLean, will you be my valentine?"

Piper smiled wide. She went on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. "Sorry, Percy," she joked, "You made it look fun."

"YES!" Percy shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "I CALLED IT! I FUCKING CALLED IT! JASIPER FOREVER!"

"Congratulations, Jason," I said.

He fainted onto the floor.

* * *

I wasn't having such a good time. Reyna and Frank decided to play interference with Octavian while I came up with a plan. They came into the gym first and made a beeline for Hazel. I waited a bit, then came in after them. I had to find Bianca. Together, we figure out what to do. Bianca's a lioness when it comes to the people she loves. With the di Angelo siblings on the case, Octavian wouldn't stand a chance.

Will found me before I found her. "Fancy seeing you here," he said. "Where'd you run off to?"

"Narnia," I replied. "Nice of you to abandon your girlfriend on Valentine's Day for little old me."

Will laughed. "She's dealing with another Jason freak out... that I may have caused." I couldn't help but laugh. He seemed so proud of himself. "You want to dance?" he asked.

My brain screamed, _YES! _but I forced myself to stay calm. "Sure, why not?" I said.

_Very smooth._

I like to think so. Will pulled me onto the dance floor, and all my problems went away. How could I think about Percy or Hazel or Papà when Will Solace was clapping along to a shitty pop song right next to me? We inched our way through the mosh pit until we reached the center, where a circle had formed around two kids breakdancing. It was so crowded that my left shoulder and arm had to be pressed up against Will's. It was the best feeling in the world.

The "Cha Cha Slide" came on next. "All right, I'm getting some food," I said, but before I could walk off, Will grabbed my hand. I stopped short. Will Solace was _holding my hand._

"Don't you dare, death boy, this is a classic," he said.

I answered with something super smart like, "Urrg-uh-huh." I felt the blood rush to my cheeks.

_I don't think that was the only place it was rushing to._

I thought you said no hard-on jokes!

_It's okay when I do it. Continue, donnaiolo._

I managed a "Fine," and Will let me go. That was the last thing I wanted.

We faced each other while we danced. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. And, at some point during the song, I decided, _You know what? Fine. No one's paying attention to me, and anything goes at a school dance. I'm going to fucking enjoy myself, no matter how guilty and pathetic I feel tomorrow, tonight I'm gonna overdose on Will Solace._

So, near the end of the song, I pretended to trip. Will instinctively caught me. "Whoa there," he said. "You weren't off drinking before, were you?"

"Sober people fall too," I said as I stood back up. Will broke out laughing. It was so infectious that I laughed too. "Told you I need some food in me. What do you think, doc?"

"I prescribe you a bag of pretzels," Will replied. "Let's run to the caf. I'm getting a headache anyway."

We grabbed some food, and then I pulled Will outside. I told him fresh air always helped headaches. I knew I wouldn't get that kiss under the stars, but I wanted to make a memory. A good memory.

"We don't get nights like this in Raleigh," Will told me, his eyes on the stars. "There's too much light. I, heh, I thought moonlight was a myth until Mom took us on a road trip out to the country."

"Us?" I asked.

"My older brothers and I," he replied. "Lee and Michael."

"That's cool," I said. "What colleges do they go to?"

"They're in the military, actually." Will smiled. "They're heroes. I miss them so much."

"Why did you move in with your dad?" I asked. "You sound homesick whenever you mention North Carolina."

Will turned to me. "Truth? I, uh, came out as bi and was bullied real bad, started getting death threats from kids at school, shit like that. The administration did nothing to stop it, so Mom pulled me out. It was hard, coming here, but I have friends, you know, Cecil, Lou Ellen. Plus I got to meet Bianca and Hazel. And I got to meet you."

My heart stopped. Bi. Will was bi. He wasn't straight, he was bi.

"You can't tell anyone," Will continued, interrupting my mental breakdown. "I know I have to come out eventually, but I'd like some time before I have to face that again, you know?"

"Yeah, sure, no problem," I rambled.

Will took another few seconds to look at the stars. "I should get back to Bianca," he said. "I'll see you back in the limo?"

I nodded because I wasn't sure what would come out of my mouth if I spoke out loud. There was a war going on inside my brain.

_He's in love with my sister, _I thought. _But he could have feelings for me._

I knew I could never do that to Bianca, but that was my night with Will. So, for once, I let myself dream, _but he could have feelings for me._

* * *

**END NOTES**

At last, it feels like a solangelo fic. Only took eight months. Lol.

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: By Monday, there'd be rumors we snuck off to have sex  
JOJO: wow do teenagers these days care enough about that shit to keep track of who sneaks off with whom?! and i thought i had boring obsessions XD  
MELODY: In middle school I kissed a guy on the cheek in the corner of the lunchroom and the ENTIRE SIXTH GRADE WAS ON THAT SHIT  
JOJO: okay well yeah but sixth grade is different than high school (also same lmao except it was on a field trip bus)  
MELODY: Honestly if we're going by maturity level sixth grade and senior year aren't all that different.  
JOJO: it is entirely possible that i just went to a trash school where sex only made the gossip headlines when someone got caught by a teacher giving morning head under the stairs before the freshmen showed up

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr melody0rose)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

Thank you to**stormfall** and **SUPERNATURAL33234 **for favoriting this story!

**Crazypony4**

_This is a wonderful story._

_I can't wait to see wait happens to hazel, Will and Nico love story, and Bianca._

Thank you so so much! I hope I don't disappoint :)

**Fenikkusu94**

_Poor Nico. I feel bad for the kid. Everything just keeps going wrong for him. Luckily, we already know things get better._

Exactly. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel. I know this from experience.

**Hayrunisa1960**

_I like it_

Thank you!

**T****he Goode Ravenclaw**

_I love it. I can imagine how annoyedish Nico was when everyone was interrupting him. I really live [love?] this and can't wait till the next update!_

I really loved writing that dynamic between the three of them, because you get to see Nico happy and his and Will's actual relationship. Even if Nico couldn't get a word in for a bit.


	14. Everyone's Shit Father

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Bianca and Nico find out the truth about their friends.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

* * *

Word Count: 2845  
Content Warning: Underage/statutory rape (mentioned only, no details)

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

_I wish I could say Bianca and I figured out the Octavian/Hazel situation right away. But we didn't. I told her the day after the Valentine's Day dance, and she was just as angry as me._

Of course I was. No one touches my little sister.

I told Nico we had to go to Persephone, but he wouldn't listen. I tried to explain that his stupid grudge against our soon-to-be stepmother shouldn't interfere with protecting our little sister, but, if you didn't already pick up on it, Nico can be super stubborn when he wants to be. And being nice to Persephone? That was non-negotiable.

February passed, then March, and there was nothing. It was so frustrating. I, as Papà's basically P.A., had access to all his records, all his accounts. I had every detail on the Olympus Scholarship at my fingertips, but I couldn't find a single damn thing that would disqualify Octavian. I started to pressure Hazel into bringing him to the house, but she never did. I hated watching her waste away; she looked more depressed every passing second. I'm not a violent person-

_I am._

-but I wanted to kill that bastard and skin him alive. Persephone was right, like she'd said on Thanksgiving, Hazel trusted too easily. Maybe at the beginning we could've saved her, but now she was too jaded. Every opportunity I gave her to speak up she ignored.

April came, and still, nothing. My head was spinning. Yeah, the Jason/Piper situation had wrapped up, but that was also the easiest problem to solve. Nico and Papà still weren't talking to each other, Thalia was still clinging to Luke and had no moneyto raise a kid, Hazel was in a probably emotionally abusive relationship that I couldn't stop... and, the first week in April, I got a reminder that time was running out.

Nico, Percy, Will, and I were finishing up our homework in the usual spot when Persephone came in with a pile of mail. "Bianca," she said with a smile, "you have a letter."

She held up a fat envelope. Stamped to the front was, "COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS OFFICE."

"Dude!" Percy shouted. "You got into an Ivy League!"

"Congratulations, Bianca!" Will said and pulled me into a hug.

Nico shot up. "Congrats, B. I'll be upstairs," he said and ran off.

"Nico!" I yelled. I pushed Will off of me and bolted up the stairs after him. I could smell the signature mixture of cigarette smoke and marijuana from the hallway. But when I tried to come into his room, the doorknob wouldn't turn all the way. "Nico, Nico let me in," I begged. I tried the doorknob a few more times, but it was no use. Tears fell down my cheeks. I'd finally made some progress with Nico, and then this had to happen. I thought about going outside and climbing the gutter to his room, but, by the smell of things, he didn't have the window open._ I can find a rock? _I thought. But Papà would kill me for breaking a window. I'd look like a psychopath.

It was the hardest thing in the world to let go of that doorknob. I sank to the floor. I should never have applied to college in the first place. What was I thinking? How could I leave when my family still needed me?!

I needed to talk to Thalia about all this; I needed my best friend to help me. I shot her a text, but there was no answer. I tried to call her multiple times, but I kept getting voicemail. I cried myself to sleep that night, and when I finally did fall asleep, I had a nightmare of Nico killing himself. I didn't know what to do anymore.

It was raining the next day, but I walked to school anyway. I didn't bother to meet Piper; I was too depressed. Like I've said before, I'm pretty shy, and social interaction wears me out. Curse of the introvert. Maybe she could've helped, maybe she couldn't have, but I needed time to think on my own. Was it better to go to college, study marketing, get more involved in D.O.A. recording studios, and take some pressure off Papà? Or should I stay until Nico was ready to leave home too? I felt like I had to choose between my dad and my brother. How could I make that choice?

I was desperate to talk to Thalia, but she wasn't at school that day. Or the next. Or the next. I was starting to get worried; she wasn't answering my calls or texts, and no one had seen her in days.

I thought things couldn't get worse. Boy was I wrong.

I came home from school one day, and Persephone pulled me aside. That was funny, because it was the spring now, and she was working again. She was never home until after dark. And she looked worried.

"Is everything okay, Persephone?" I asked, concerned.

"Yes-I mean, well, I hope so," she said. "Hades and I set a date for the wedding. It's not until next summer, July 25th, we wanted to give Nico more time to warm up to the idea, but I'm afraid he's not going to."

_That's definitely a possibility_, I thought, but it would be stupid to say that. "You want me to tell him," I said instead.

"Yes. He has the best relationship with you, so we thought that if you told him, it would be our best chance," she explained.

"He's still mad at me for going to college," I admitted. "Maybe you should talk to Hazel about it, he loves her too."

"Hazel's been very depressed these past few months," Persephone said. "Her relationship with you and Nico has been one of the only things that still makes her happy. I'm afraid if she's the one who breaks the news, he'll lash out at her, and I don't want that. But I don't think anything can sour his relationship with you."

I sighed. "Yeah, that makes sense. I'll talk to him once I get him in a good mood."

"Take your time," Persephone said. "Like I said, we have until next summer."

Thalia finally shot me a text the next day.

DAT PINE TREE DOH

I need you to come over. I know you don't like the projects, but I need you.

**Can't you come over here? I can send Jules-Albert in Persephone's car so it's less noticeable.**

No, I can't. Please, Bianca, I need you.

**I'll take an Über. I'm on my way.**

Luke and Thalia lived in a... honestly, the best word is cottage. It's only a main room with a tiny bathroom in the corner. It didn't even have a shower, so they had a gym membership and would shower there. Their bed was pushed against the back wall, and then they had a kitchen and stove and fold-up table and chairs that doubled as a kitchen counter. There was a lumpy couch they'd found on the side of the road in New York City (it's pretty common that rich people will leave stuff on the sidewalk when they move) and a bookshelf for their library books. They didn't even own a T.V. or computer; Thalia "borrowed" an iPad from the school that was plugged into the one outlet they had.

I'd offered to buy her and Luke a house in a safer neighborhood, or, at least, one with a bedroom, but they wouldn't let me. Both of them have a lot of pride, and won't accept help beyond the local food pantry. It was horrible to think of what they had to go through, but, to their credit, they never complained. Things are better now because Thalia can work full time since she graduated high school. She's a waitress at a fancy restaurant where she can make almost a thousand dollars in tips if she picks up weekend shifts. Yeah, she works like sixty hours a week, and I don't like that, but, again, she won't accept any money.

_At least she doesn't go to bed hungry anymore._

I know. It's awful, though. She's saving up for college, so hopefully things will get better when she gets enough.

Anyway, when I got to Thalia's, she was in tears. She was so hysterical that she couldn't even speak. I hugged her as she cried. We stood like that for a long time.

When she finally could talk to me, it wasn't good news.

"Luke's in the Titans," she managed.

My heart stopped. "What? Oh my god, how long?!"

"Since the baby," she said. "He said he wanted to give us a better life, and Kronos reached out to him. He- he told me in February."

"That's what that phone call was," I realized. "But you didn't break up with him?! Thalia, he's in a gang!"

"No, I married him," she whispered. "I had to, for the baby. He's trying to give us a better life."

"Oh my god," I said to myself. "Thalia, this is insane!"

"You don't know anything!" she yelled. "You're a billionaire with a trust fund and a mansion and a dad who fucking loves you! I have a dead mother and a millionaire father who won't stand up for me and a brother I can't fucking see 'cause Juno will kick him out too! Luke's-" Her voice broke. "-Luke's all I have."

"If you're okay with this, then what's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm _not _okay with this," she said. "And Luke's gone too far. Kronos- Kronos forced him to rob a bank. He didn't want to, he was terrified, but he said Kronos would kill him if he said no."

"Oh my god," I said again. "Fuck. And he got caught?"

Thalia nodded. She was crying again. "Silena Beauregard got caught by the police. She took a plea deal and told them everything. I'm not saying it wasn't the right thing to do, but... but they never got to do it. Kronos is furious. Luke's in custody. The police stormed in here a few days ago, and they won't even let me see him! They're keeping him in jail and..."

"Oh, Thalia," I said, and I hugged her again. "I'll lend you the money. We'll figure this out."

"No, that's not what I want," she said. "He's safe in jail, at least. I'm afraid Kronos will kill him if he comes back home..."

"You're staying with us for a while, you're not safe here, either," I said. "No arguments. I'll lend you the money for a good lawyer. We'll figure this out, okay?"

Thalia cried into my shoulder. I guess that was the best response I could expect.

May came. Luke was still in jail, Hazel was still with Octavian, Nico was still angry about Columbia, and I hadn't come to a decision. I felt like a failure. I prayed to Mamma every night, asking for her to guide me, wondering what she would do. Everyone used to say that I looked exactly like her. Why couldn't I take after her in more ways than one?

Finally, I decided that I had to do something. I couldn't control what happened with Luke or Hazel, but I could control what happened with Nico. I had to tell him about the wedding. And I'd defer Columbia for a year, enough time for Will to work his magic. He was taking a gap year too so he could save up for college. When I did go to school, I'd buy an apartment and take Nico with me.

Nico took it better than I expected. He didn't scream, he didn't kick me out, he just sat there, staring at the wall, blinking. He asked to be by himself after a while and promised he wouldn't drink or smoke or anything. I gave him his space. Then, I called Will and told him to get his butt over here. If there was anyone else who could get through to Nico, it was him.

_On that note, I think I should take over._

* * *

I was surprised when Will came into my room. He didn't bother to knock because I guess he knew I'd kick him out. I didn't feel anything, really. My mind was blank. I knew this was coming, but I still couldn't believe it. I also didn't know how to feel about Bianca staying. I mean, I was happy I wouldn't lose her, and if that's what she wanted...

"Hey," Will said.

"Hey," I replied. "What are you doing here?"

"Bianca told me about the wedding. I wanted to see how you were doing," he told me.

I should've been happy about that. Will Solace wanted to see me. But the wedding finally sunk in, and I turned into a monster.

"How am I doing?!" I snarled. "Gee, let me guess, my dad betrays my mom, so I guess I'm feeling fucking wonderful."

"I know it sucks-"

"'Know it sucks?!' How the fuck could he do this to me?!" I yelled.

"Don't yell at me," Will snapped. "I'm just trying to help."

"Good, then march down there, and fucking break them up." I had to hit something, so I kicked my nightstand as hard as I could. The lamp fell over, and its ceramic body shattered.

"What the hell, Nico?!" Will cried. "Calm down!"

"Why should I?!" I screamed. "Why should I be happy I've got the worst fucking father ever?! He throws me out like trash, he doesn't give a shit about me, and now he's betraying Mamma too!"

Up until that point, I'd never seen Will Solace angry. And, let me tell you, it's the scariest thing you'll ever see. He never yells or throws things. He just... fuck, I can't even describe it. Menacing, that's what he is.

"How is he betraying your mom?" Will questioned. "Getting remarried after six fucking years is betraying your mom? You know what my dad did to my mom? She went to a music festival in Austin, she was sixteen, he was twenty-five. He manipulated her into moving in with him, she ran away with him, dropped out of high school, never spoke to her parents again because he wouldn't let her without feeling guilty. He raped her, fucking raped her enough that she got three kids. And when I was born, he left and never looked back. Never sent her a single cent. Never bothered to come back.

"Mom works at a gas station convenience store because she couldn't find any other job. As soon as he turned sixteen, Lee dropped out of high school and lied about his age so he could join the marines to support us because we were that desperate. Michael did the same thing. I can take hungry nights, I can take living in a homeless shelter, but you know what I can't take? Lee and Michael had to join the military because of my fucking shit father, and they both died last year, within months of each other.

"And then I had to come out as bi, and all that shit had to happen. We were still fucking grieving, Nico! And Mom had to send me away to Apollo, who only came out of the woodwork when he found out his sons died! But he _still _doesn't give two-tenths of a shit! Your dad gives you money, stays with you, feeds you, gives you clothes. And he's the worst because he wants to fucking get married?! Are you shitting me?! I have to send home every penny I get, I have to take this fucking job when I-" He gulped. "When it's the most immoral thing I've ever done."

"How is the school store immoral?" I asked. I was still in shock about what he told me.

"It's not that!" Will cried. "You really _are _deluded! Everything was fine, and then I had to go and fall in love with you!"

He froze. I froze. Without even thinking, I closed that gap between us and kissed him. It was perfect for about half a second until Will pushed me away, and it sank in what I'd just done.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I... how... how could I do that to Bianca?"

"We're not dating, Nico, we're just pretending," Will whispered. "It was just an excuse for me to see you."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"So I could help you through your dad getting remarried," he whispered. "She's paying me to be your friend." He shook his head. His cheeks were wet. "And I can't do this! I'm sorry."

And then he ran out of my room. I just stood there. I should've run after him, I should've told him it was okay, I understood, of course he was going to take the gig when his mom couldn't eat, I wasn't mad, I just wanted to be with him... but my feet wouldn't move, and the words wouldn't come out of my mouth.

* * *

**END NOTES**

This week's beta commentary:

STORY: I could smell the signature mixture of cigarette smoke and marijuana from the hallway  
JOJO: damn that kid works fast  
MELODY: You know Nico, when he commits, he fucking commits.

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

Thank you to **Crazypony4, theworstisgoingtohappen **and** waitingforacrossover27 **for favoriting this story!

**Bonzenz**

_I'm sorry but how metal is the name hades? Most people probably think that it's a stage name to promote his label._

Lol that wouldn't surprise me. Nico did mention in the first chapter that people joked that Hades was the god Hades, so that's not too far a leap.

**Crazypony4**

_Squee! The Di Angelos are on the case.  
Nothing can stop the dynamic duo._  
_Bianca, When is phase five going to happen?_  
_Solangelo is going to happen very soon and I can't wait._

As we saw today, some things can stop the dynamic duo, though not much. Octavian is crafty, though, and very smart. And solangelo has indeed happened, though not how anyone planned, I think. Will phase five fix things? We'll have to find out!

**Demigod208**

_Hey! It's meh, from Wattpad. Why am i reading this on ? I dunno, BUT IT'S AMAZING.  
__This book simultaneously breaks my heart, makes me laugh, scream, dramatically grasp, and die._

Hi! Nice to see you over here!  
My intentions exactly ;) and I doubt this chapter did anything to change that.


	15. Phase Five: Death of the Five-Point Plan

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Nico confronts Bianca about her treatment of Will.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2222  
Content Warning: None

I'M SORRY THIS ONE IS SO SHORT! It's another one of those "CH 14 & 15 were meant to be a single chapter but it was too long" things. I promise none of them will be this short again, but, hey, I did say each chapter would be between 2K and 3K and this one IS above 2K.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

I'm going to quickly cover Luke before I focus on the real meat of the story.

_Hey! Why do you get to tell it?!_

You want to talk about Luke?

_No, I meant the other stuff._

Because you weren't there for half of it, Nico, that's why.

_So you jump in when I wasn't there._

Or you could jump in when you feel like you need to say something? You're good at that.

*fake crying* _I thought if __anyone __wouldn't make fun of me, it would be my own sister!_

Tell it to the judge.

Ha! Accidental courtroom pun. That segways nicely.

The last week of May, Luke got his sentence. He took a plea deal, and, in exchange for giving the police information about the Titans, he only got fourteen months. They also agreed to put him in a prison in Los Angeles where Thalia was close enough to visit him.

I know what you're thinking: "He was going to commit armed robbery, how could they only give him a little over a year?" Well, they couldn't prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was going to be _armed _robbery, even if it's pretty likely. Plus he was blackmailed (we found out later Kronos threatened to kill Thalia if things didn't go well) and he never actually committed the robbery, so they could only be charged with attempted robbery. So when you look at it like that, fourteen months isn't as unreasonable as you might think.

_Bianca... no one cares._

Is it so wrong to wrap up the subplots before we get to the main stuff?

_Subplots? You're talking about the worst year of our lives like some psychotic sadist wrote the whole thing._

Yeah, well, for one year our life turned into a movie, so I'm going to use those words.

So, Luke went to prison, and we explained before what eventually happened to Thalia, so that's two _subplots _that were wrapped up by May: Jason and Thalia. That left Hazel and, of course, Nico and me. To put it like a movie would, my day of reckoning had arrived, and it was not going to be a pretty sight.

_Sounds about right._

I was in my room, playing Sims 3 on my computer-because it's way better than Sims 4-when Nico threw open the door.

"What the _fuck_, Bianca?!" he yelled.

I spun my desk chair around. It's one of the turny chairs. I know he was yelling at me, but I was still calm because I knew that it was the best way to help Nico. He got angry a lot, and I'd gotten used to yelling. I knew he never meant it.

"What the fuck what?" I asked.

"Oh, gee, what shitty thing have you done that would make me this angry?!" Nico spat through clenched teeth. He shot me a perfect death stare, good enough that I flinched.

Then, I realized what he meant. My heart sank. My perfect five-point plan... it was over. "Nico-" I started to say, but he cut me off.

"Are you _shitting _me, Bianca?!" he cried. "How the _fuck _could you do that to Will?!"

"What?" I asked, stunned. "I thought you'd be angry I paid him off. What did I do to Will?"

"I _am _mad you paid him off!" Nico shouted. ""You saw a kid with patches on his bag and decided, 'hey, I'm going to give him money I know he literally can't refuse so he'll do something he's obviously not comfortable with and will hate himself for! That's not terrible at _all!'_ Why would you do something that awful?!"

"That's not what it was!" I cried. "He got through to me so easily, and you wouldn't let me help you, and I just thought-"

"No!" Nico yelled. "You _didn't _think! You didn't think what this would do to _him!_ Why would I give a shit that you set me up with a friend?! Why didn't you introduce us and let me warm up to him?!"

"Because I know you, and you wouldn't!" I shouted back. I stood from the chair. I was so furious, I couldn't help it anymore. "You want me to sit there and let my brother suffer when there's something I can do about it?!"

"It's not your job to force help down my throat!" he argued. "I'm allowed to be angry! I'm allowed to be depressed! You can't throw our fucking money around and take advantage of people in my fucking name! Life isn't some goddamn game you can win with gold!"

"Oh, you want to talk about who throws around our money?!" I cried. "Smoking, pot, drinking, vandalizing, stealing shit, you'd be in and out of jail as much as Luke Castellan if people didn't know Papà's name! The only damn reason you've got no record is that this town doesn't want the bad press about Hades di Angelo's troubled son! And, guess what? I don't want you on the side of the road somewhere because I didn't try hard enough. I'm trying to take care of you!"

"It's not your job to take care of me!" he shot back. "Bianca, you _aren't Mamma_!"

"I never said I was," I snapped, "but someone has to take control of things. Why else did I survive the plane crash when I shouldn't've?"

Nico stopped. He took a few steps into my room and shut the door behind him. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, more controlled, without even a hint of anger, just concern. "Bianca, what do you want?" he asked.

"I want you to be happy," I replied.

Nico took a deep breath. "No, B... what do _you _want?"

"I just said-"

"For yourself. Take everyone else out of it. Who do you want to be? What do you want to do?" I stood there for a moment, blinking. My mind went blank. There were tears in Nico's eyes now. He let out a strangled breath and said, "You can't even answer the question, can you?"

"No!" I protested. "I... I..."

He was right. I couldn't answer the question. I started hyperventilating as tears poured down my cheeks. Nico ran to me and pulled me into a hug. I buried my face in his shoulder as I cried. It was the first time in our lives that he'd comforted me instead of me comforting him. Why had I never seen how suspicious that was?

"We'll figure this out," Nico whispered. "You'll never be alone as long as I'm still breathing."

I pulled away and wiped away my tears with the back of my hand. "I need to go for a walk," I said.

"I'll come with you," Nico replied quickly.

I shook my head. "I need to be by myself, please. I'll be back soon."

Nico looked like he wanted to argue, but I guess he could relate to that feeling, and there was nothing he could say to change my mind. He opened the bedroom door for me and walked me down to the front. "I love you," he said. "Nothing will ever change that."

"I know," I told him. "And I love you, too. Give me like an hour, okay?"

He nodded. But he stared after me with worried eyes, like he was afraid I'd never come home. I felt his gaze on my back until the mansion was a pinprick in the distance.

So I went out on my own. I didn't know where I was going, I just let my feet carry me until I was lost in the woods. I needed to be lost, I needed to be alone, so alone that no one could ever find me.

Somehow, I ended up at the creek where Piper and I always met to walk to school together. I collapsed onto my knees at the riverbed and got all sticky with mud, but I didn't care. I cupped some water in my hands and splashed it across my face, which had become red and hot from my tears. I stared at my image reflected in the water and realized I didn't recognize my face. Where was Bianca di Angelo? Where did she go? How could I be a stranger to myself?

I realized I was wearing my huntress outfit again. God, I'd had that thing since I was twelve... since... since I was...

I rummaged through my pockets. There was that floppy green hat Hazel and I found so many months before. I quickly braided up my hair and slipped it under my hat, and there she was. The little girl from _Venezia _playing Mario Kart on her 3DS, waiting to meet up with her Papà for Christmas, searching in vain for a Hades figurine for her Mythomagic-obsessed brother.

In my imagination, Mamma was still alive, Papà was still there, Nico was still happy. All it took to make my perfect world was a second tragedy to right the first. I had to find myself, who I was without them. The thought of going home, going back without an identity, terrified me. _But I have to_, I told myself.

Then I realized... _says who?_

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent probably the most important-and impulsive-text I ever have.

* * *

FIRST LIEUTENANT OF ARTEMIS

Zoë? Are you at LAX yet?

**Yes. Why?**

Tell Coach Artemis to buy me a ticket. I'm going to Jupiter's. I'm on my way.

And don't tell anyone where I'm going.

**Are you okay? Do you need me to get the girls to come get you?**

I can't go back to that house. I have to get out of L.A. before Papà and Nico find me. Please, don't tell anyone besides Artemis.

**Ok**

**They can track you with your phone. You've got to get rid of it. We'll get out of the security line and meet you at the terminal. We're flying Delta, the 6:30 PM flight. You've got 2.5 hours, hopefully that's enough.**

**Coach Artemis says we'll book a later flight if we miss the first one. Just get rid of your phone and get here as fast as you can.**

* * *

Before you say anything, Zoë later told me that she thought I was in an abusive household, and that's why I wanted to run away. Okay, yes, that's a huge jump, but this is the über-man hater over here, and, like Reyna said, Nico had a reputation. A really _bad _reputation. And Papà... he's got a rep too of a pretty scary, pretty mysterious guy. Put all that together, and how distressed I sounded over text, and it's less... insane.

I turned my phone off completely and threw it into a pile of leaves. No one could find it now.

I knew these woods like the back of my hand, so it wasn't hard to get to the road. I held my hand up hitchhiker style until a car stopped. I took off the only jewelry I was wearing, diamond stud earrings, and said, "I need to get to LAX. I don't have money, but these are real diamonds. They're yours when you arrive."

The man reached out to take them, but I snatched them away. "When. We. Arrive." I insisted. Then, I got into the backseat and forced my mind to go blank.

I reached LAX in a little over an hour. "Don't get anything less than $500 for these," I said to the driver as I handed him the earrings. "Thank you for your help. What's your name?"

"Dr. Thorn," the man said with a greasy smile. He had an accent, something from the middle east, I think.

"I'm Bianca," I said. "Thanks again."

I got out of the car and ran to the terminal. Zoë was there waiting for me, in tears, saying, "Thank god you're all right" over and over again. I hugged her and said, "Thanks for waiting. Let's get out of here."

"Coach Artemis is buying you a ticket," Zoë said. "I didn't tell her anything-she thinks your parents know. You'll be safe with us, okay? We'll find you a place to stay after Jupiter's is over, Mr. di Angelo's never going to find out until it's too late."

I nodded. I was too emotional to speak. I made it through Coach Artemis's questions-"why'd you suddenly change your mind?" etc.-without crying. I was running on autopilot. We found an ATM in the airport so I could grab some cash. I drained my account; I wouldn't be able to use my credit card anymore, and I didn't want to leave a paper trail with my debit.

It was weird, going through airport security when I'd never been on a public plane before, but I got the gist pretty quick. Shoes off, hands up, in the machine. One hour later, we were sitting in the jet. I kept waiting for Papà to storm in with the Feds, for something to go wrong, for them to drag me back home.

We took off. I felt layers of stress fall off my shoulders with every kilometer we climbed. There weren't any jets trying to pull us down. There wasn't any announcement about an angry billionaire searching for his daughter. Zoë swore to keep my secret. Coach Artemis didn't even know. I had no phone, no trail, no way for them to track me.

I was free.

* * *

**END NOTES**

Oh, come on, you had to see this coming. It's Bianca. I'm going to forget about that time she abandoned her family for the Hunters?

This is actually part of what I'm trying to do with the fic. Bianca was never developed enough that we really learned what led her to do what she did. She said she couldn't be "big sister all the time," but it can still come across as selfish. I wanted (though in a mortal AU) to give her the backstory she never got so her running away is a little less out of nowhere.

This week's beta commentary:

STORY: I stared at my image reflected in the water and realized I didn't recognize my face. Where was Bianca di Angelo? Where did she go? How could I be a stranger to myself?  
JOJO: when will my reflection shooooooooowwwwww  
MELODY: Who I aaaammm insiiiiiiiiide

STORY: Nico took a deep breath. "No, B... what do you want?"... I couldn't answer the question.  
MELODY: Hey look, it's the moment that I imagined when I first wrote the fic and then spent 15 chapters working my way up to. Ha.

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**Guest**

_:I hope the wedding is not a disaster like thanksgiving.  
__Which was pretty good by the way.  
__Persephone and Hades is going to be married.  
__You may kiss the bride._

Yeah, I hope so too. Hades needs a happy day after all the tragedies he's gone through.

**Guest**

_:Great_

Thanks!

**AquaEclipse**

_Everyone be going through hard times.  
__but at least we got a confession? yeah. I guess that makes it a little more bearable. just a little. yah._

Definitely on both counts.

**Fenikkusu94**

_Everything is coming to a head. I can't wait for more Solangelo drama._

Don't worry, plenty more to come.

**Mumu**

_AMAZING._

Thank you!

_what with these Hunger Games references  
__and anti socialness  
__and cliffhangers  
__you're killing me_

Slowly. I'm killing you slowly.

_excuse me  
__this chapter just  
__simultaneously improved percabeth and jasper  
__whilst  
__having jason and percy kiss  
__like wut_

Lol I think it's my favorite moment in this entire fic. I'm so proud of it.

_so, BTW, im also demigod208. and can i just say that THESE CLIFFHANGERS ARE SERIOUSLY- AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Ah, good to see you. And yeah, I get how cliffhangers are annoying, but that's what keeps 'em coming back, right?

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_I am speechless. like literally speechless. most everything just got revealed. wow. one thing is for sure though[, ]Will's mom deserved better. and will confessed to Nico! AHHHHHHHH I love it! I really can't wait for Nico's reaction!_

Will's mom definitely deserved better. No one deserves something so horrible to happen to them.


	16. Fuck You, Octavian

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Nico searches for Bianca, but finds something else.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2236  
Content Warning: Violence (mild), Abuse

Mentioned above, there is once small instance of physical abuse. Bloodless, not explained in graphic detail or expanded on, basically, as tame as a scene like that can get. Just letting you know.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

Bianca mentioned before how scared I was when she went for her walk, that it was like I was afraid she'd never come home.

That's because I was.

I can't explain it, but somehow I knew. I just did. Bianca and I are different in a lot of ways, like you've probably guessed. Even with everything I felt, everything I went through, I'd never had the thought to run away. I escaped through drugs, alcohol, and acting like a total asshole. I ran from my feelings, my sexuality, and anyone who might want to try and save me. I always knew that running in real life wouldn't do a damn thing to ease my pain. I was self-destructive, but I wasn't stupid.

In the back of my head, I knew better than to trust Bianca. Why? All her problems would be solved the easiest if she disappeared. Say what you want about me, but at least I'd accepted that Mamma was dead. Bianca never got past the denial stage.

But I told myself that was stupid, I told myself that for way too long. An hour passed, and she wasn't home. I paced back and forth in the kitchen for another half-hour, making up excuses for why she was running late. Finally, I thought, _she probably went to the Field of Mars to shoot some arrows. That's what she always does when she's upset._

I went to there, but Ares said she never walked in. I double-checked the range, but she wasn't there. _School_, I thought. _There's an archery range at school._

But she wasn't there either. _Maybe she left something in her locker_? I reasoned. I tried the front door, and, even though it was after hours, the door was unlocked. I checked my watch-it was almost 4:30. I decided that some clubs were going on, hadn't I heard student gov had a meeting today? She went to do some spy work on Octavian, that had to be it.

I made my way to the black box theater where the freshman usually had their student gov meetings. I glanced inside... surprisingly, there actually _was _a meeting going on, but Bianca wasn't there. _She's probably eavesdropping from the other door_, I decided.

I took the long way around. That turned out to be the smartest move, because, talking near the other door was none other than Octavian and Hazel.

_Wait... really?_

I never told you this story, B?

_No, I mean, the blackmail part, yes, but not the details or anything._

Oh. Um, get ready to get angry.

I crouched behind the corner and watched them. They looked like they were arguing, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Then, the scumbag, that son of a bitch slapped Hazel across the face. He'd hit her. _He'd hit my sister._

_What the fuck?! He- oh my god, I'm going to track down that bastard and I'm going to murder him in his sleep! How the fuck did you not kill him?_

Simple. I did. Metaphorically speaking.

I forgot about the blackmail, the way he threatened Reyna, all I knew was that my sister was with a guy who hit her, and that was enough for me to sign his death warrant.

I screamed and tackled him to the ground. "You- son- of- a- bitch-" I said between punches to his face. I was determined to break his nose, to do worse to him than I did to Bryce. "Don't- you- TOUCH- HER-!" I screamed.

"Nico!" Hazel cried, tears in her eyes. "It's okay! Stop it!"

I slammed Octavian's head on the floor. If it wasn't carpet, he would've passed out. "He's hitting you Hazel!" I shouted. "That's _not_ okay!"

"Please," she begged. "You don't know what you're doing!"

Octavian spit blood on my neck. "You're going to pay, di Angelo," he vowed.

Hazel tried to pull me away from him, but I was too strong. "When the school finds out what you did, _you're _the one who's going to pay," I growled. I shook my arm out of Hazel's grip and punched him again.

I could've sat there forever, punching that douchebag, but then we heard the doors of the black box theater opening. Either someone had heard us fighting, or the meeting was over. Either way, I wasn't about to find out. I grabbed Hazel's hand, and the two of us sprinted to the nearest exit. We didn't stop running until we were in the woods by the road.

"You shouldn't have done that," Hazel whispered.

"I don't care what he has on you, Haze," I said. "Nothing, absolutely _nothing _is worth staying with a guy who lays a hand on you."

"He doesn't have anything on me," she admitted. "He asked me out at the party, but I said Frank had already asked me. He told me I'd regret saying no. I thought it was just his usual jerky thing, which is why I didn't say anything. Then, the day before Thanksgiving, I got this."

She pulled out her phone and went to Octavian's recent messages. She scrolled up until she got to the day before Thanksgiving.

* * *

OCTAVIAN AUGUR

**If you love your brother you'll get me the olympus scholarship.**

What do you mean? If you hurt Nico I'll go to the police.

**Don't worry I won't touch him. I don't have to. I knew if I followed the bastard around he'd give something away, he's so private. And look what I found.**

* * *

There was a video there; the cover photo showed someone standing outside the school, but the play button obscured their face. I knew it was me.

* * *

**If you don't help me that goes up on the school facebook pg, snapchat story, and every damn site in the tristate area.**

* * *

I took the phone from her and pressed play on the video file.

The audio wasn't the best, but, don't worry, Octavian made sure to subtitle the whole thing. Here's the audio. I'll narrate the action.

* * *

I fixed my hair and clothes and checked my breath. Then, I ran to meet Percy as he jogged across the grass.

NICO: Hey, Percy!

My hands were already shaking.

PERCY: What's up, Nico?

When we reached the road, I knelt on the ground and unzipped my backpack. I didn't look at him as I talked.

NICO: I, um, I got you something. 'Cause, you know, I'm thankful you're my friend.

PERCY: You didn't have to do that!

I looked up. He was grinning at me. I practically fucking swooned. I grabbed the envelope from my bag and threw it into his hands. I watched him open it. He pulled out two tickets, and his mouth fell to the floor.

PERCY: Oh my god, Nico, I can't take this. This must've cost you a fortune.

*Nico lets out a forced, unnatural chuckle*

NICO:_ (awkward as hell)_ My father owns a record label. I talked to Thanatos; he knows Fall Out Boy's manager, it was super easy to get backstage passes. Don't worry about it.

PERCY: Thank you, Nico! Annabeth is going to love this!

I was visibly disappointed.

PERCY: Unless you want to come. We'd totally have a great time.

NICO:_ (miserably)_ No, take your girlfriend. Enjoy yourself. ... You know what? I think I'm actually going to walk home.

PERCY: It's freezing.

NICO: It's fifty degrees.

PERCY: That's still too cold. C'mon, man, I don't have a jacket or anything.

NICO:_ (startled)_ You want to come with me?

PERCY: Sure. Besides, Bianca would freak if I let you go on your own.

Percy pat my shoulder. The camera zoomed in, and you could see the blush on my cheeks. The frame froze, and underneath, one final subtitle said, "Look at the little fag."

* * *

I dropped Hazel's phone. My mind was spinning. Octavian. I beat him up. I took Hazel, his one bargaining chip, away from him. I cost him the Olympus scholarship. By tomorrow, I'd be outed. By Monday, I'd be in the same situation Will was in North Carolina. No, it would be worse, because the press would pounce and the entire fucking world would know. Papà would disown me for all the bad press he'd get.

Then, my phone buzzed with a phone call. I glanced at it.

* * *

SEAWEED BRAIN

**I saw the video on insta. Text me back.**

* * *

My life was over.

I turned Do Not Disturb on on my phone, because it was already blowing up with text messages, FaceBook messages, snaps, and more from my entire contact book.

"What are we going to do?" Hazel asked. I decided I had to be strong for her.

"We're going to hit him right back," I said. I pulled Snapchat up and hit the Camp Half-Blood Class of 2020 group story. I pointed the camera at Hazel, where a mark had already formed on her cheek from Octavian's slap. "Look at that, Octavian," I said as I zoomed in. "Look at what you did to my sister." Then, I flipped the view so everyone could see my face. "Make sure you tell them this is revenge because I beat the crap out of you. Sleep with one eye open tonight, 'cause I'm coming to finish the job."

I sent it out. Within seconds, it had over a hundred views. Mission accomplished.

"Let's go home," Hazel said. "I'll download the video and put it up on FaceBook and the other sites Octavian put his."

We walked home in silence. Every time I looked at my lock screen, there were new texts, Facebook messages, and Snaps about the situation. A few of them were supporting me, but most of them were death threats, insults, people claiming I made up the fight and the fact that he hit Hazel, things like that. Worst of all was Percy, who just wouldn't take no for an answer. He kept texting and texting on every platform he had an account on (which was a lot), even tried calling at one point (and if you know Percy and phone calls, that's something major) but I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want my only real friend to dump me because he found out about my crush. I'd already lost Will, I didn't want to lose him too.

It was almost midnight when we got close to the house.

_*Bianca laughs.*_

It was dark, and we don't know the woods as well as you, okay?

As soon as we got within eyesight of our front door, Persephone ran out of the house. She pulled Hazel into a hug, saying, "Thank god, thank god you're all right."

"What's going on, Mom?" she asked.

Persephone got ahold of herself. "You'd better come inside," she said.

Papà, Demeter, and Thalia were sitting on the couch in front of the foyer. "Hazel!" Demeter cried. "Where have you been, precious?" She started drowning Hazel in kisses. Papà couldn't meet my eye. Thalia rose from the couch and said, "Nico, where have you been?"

"At school," I said. "I guess you haven't seen the video, then."

"What video?" she asked.

"Check your phone."

She glanced at her lock screen. "Annabeth mentioned a-" she swiped the message open. I waited for the blow. Her eyes went wide. "I am going to kill Octavian. Why the fuck would he-" she cut herself short. "Hurt Hazel," she finished. I was grateful; I knew the original ending to that sentence was "out you" and I was glad to have a few more minutes until Papà disowned me.

"Your boyfriend hurt you?!" Persephone cried. "Is that what that mark is?! Oh, Hazel!"

"I never liked that Octavian," Demeter scoffed. "You poor little thing! Love makes you blind, and not for the better." She shot a look at Papà. He didn't notice, or maybe he just pretended not to.

"She's not a child, Mother, she's fifteen," Persephone snapped. "Don't treat her like an innocent little flower."

"What's going on?" I butt in. "If it's not about the video, what is it?"

Papà finally looked up. He had the same broken expression he'd had at my bedside after the plane crash. "Nico, where's Bianca?"

"She- she's not back?" I stammered.

"Back from where, boy?" Demeter demanded. "What do you know?"

"She went for a walk," I said in a high pitched voice. I was already crying. "She said she'd be back in an hour."

"Bianca ran away; we thought you kids went with her," Persephone said.

"The bank called me about Bianca's debit account," Papà explained in a monotone voice. "Someone drained her account; we traced it back to an ATM in LAX. The security footage confirmed it was her, but the airport refuses to tell me anything about where she went unless we get a police warrant."

"Then go get a warrant!" I shouted.

"You have to wait 24 hours to report a missing person," Papà said. "And it can take days for them to be granted a warrant after that."

"But she could be anywhere by then!" I protested.

"I know."

My world came crashing down around me. I was right. I should've forced her to let me come on her walk. Why did I say those things to her at all? Bianca, my sister, the one who for so long was the only bright spot in my entire life, was gone.

She was gone, and it was my fault.

**END NOTES**

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: If it wasn't carpet, he would've passed out.  
JOJO: there's carpet in a school?!  
MELODY: Dude, this is a school with an archery range, auditorium AND blackbox theater, swimming pool, and a big enough campus for a road to run through it, and THAT'S what you're surprised about?!  
MELODY: Also, everything that happens in this chapter, and that's the one thing you decide you have to comment on?  
MELODY: No judgement, just... it's nice to know where your priorities are.  
JOJO: legitimately yes, this is what i'm surprised about. that's the only thing on that list that's particularly odd for a modern, fancy rich people school to have. though, the fuck do you mean the auditorium isn't just the theatre?  
MELODY: A blackbox theater is different than an auditorium, they're smaller. You can look up the difference.  
MELODY: And my school had carpets... and it was a public school. They weren't soft or anything, but they were there.

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

Thank you to** limenightsky** and **The Lil' Lion** for favoriting this story!

**Guest**

_Keep up with the good work. I enjoy this story so much. I hope Bianca returns to her family after going to lax. Can you please write Nico and Hades reaction when they couldn't track Bianca anywhere?_

Thank you! And I just did! :)

**Crazypony4**

_Oh, Bianca.  
__You do know that Nico is going to be looking for you everywhere right.  
__Don't make him more depressed than he already is.  
__If you do, your going to make me cry.  
__*s***  
__Don't leave Nico all alone please.  
__I'm super excited for the next chapter._

Next chapter is here, hope I didn't disappoint! And don't be too hard on Bianca, I don't think she was thinking super clearly there.

**StoryB. Stella**

_Forget Solangelo drama. Bianca drama is juicy. Teehee._

Hahaha you're going to get both. BOTH!

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_this chapter was really interesting. it gives a better explanation than canon why Bianca left. I really love Bianca's character: she focuses so much on helping other people so then she doesn't have to help herself. I see myself in that. I love how you subtly broke the 4th wall with "like some psychotic sadist wrote this" I started cracking up at that. I can't wait for the next chapter!_

Thank you, that was always my intention. I definitely see myself in Bianca's character too. And of course I had to call myself out. I know I'm the Jewish devil when I write, I just love it too much to fix it.


	17. Actually, Fuck Everybody

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Nico faces the consequences of being outed.

**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 3029  
Content Warning: Violence (mild)

I do use the word "fag" repeatedly in this chapter. Just a warning.

This one is a little over my usual 3K cap but whatever 29 words don't count. Besides, after the last two short chapters I don't think anyone's going to complain here.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

All of us stayed up the rest of the night, hoping for some message from Bianca. But there was nothing.

I did tell them about our fight, not the Will stuff, but how I'd forced Bianca to actually take a look at herself and face some stuff she probably didn't want to. We agreed it make perfect sense why she'd want to run after that. No one said it, but they all knew now that it was my fault she was gone. Papà couldn't even meet my eye. I know we hadn't spoken in months, but it still hurt like hell.

Thalia did mention Jupiter's as a possible place Bianca ran off to, but we also thought that someone would've told us that she'd gone on the trip. The truth was, that was only a guess. She had a lot a money saved up. She could've gone anywhere.

I didn't eat or sleep the rest of the weekend. I didn't touch my phone, which was still blowing up with messages from Octavian's video. Saturday night, some drunk kids egged our house. I didn't give Papà any explanation.

As soon as the twenty-four-hour mark came, Papà and Persephone went to the police. I couldn't bring myself to leave the house. The police decided to keep Bianca disappearance out of the news so they could do their investigation without the press interfering. Papà came home pissed. "That's the damn point!" I heard him shouting. "It would be trending nationally! The public would find her in a day! Damn town, trying to protect its reputation before its own citizens!"

For the first time in a very long time, I agreed with him.

Hazel tried to get me to go to school on Monday, but I wasn't ready to face the world. How could I, without my sister? It was hard enough before. Now, with the death threats and the harassment, it was impossible.

On Tuesday, I got sick of waiting for news that would never come. I snuck out of the house around noon, when anyone who knew about the video would be at school, and went to the Field of Mars to blow off steam. Ares didn't give a shit that I was playing hooky as long as he got his membership fees. I hacked at dummies for hours, screaming and kicking. What did I care if I got strange looks? I'd gotten used to that over the years.

The sun was setting by the time I got out of there. I was almost home when the first rock hit the back of my neck. "Hey, fag!" the guy shouted. It was Ethan Nakamura, the Titian's latest recruit.

I didn't say anything. He must've been waiting for me since he was so far from his gang's territory. That spelled trouble.

"You listening to me?" Ethan spat. "I'm talking to you, dick!" He threw another rock, bigger this time, enough to leave a mark. I walked a little faster.

"I'm talking to you, fag!" Ethan shouted. The next thing I knew, his hand was on my shoulder, and he was spinning me around. I felt his gun pressing into my stomach. I froze.

_What the fuck? He was pointing a gun at you? Why?_

He's crazy.

"Careful now," I said, "I'm one of Alabaster's best customers. You wouldn't want Kronos to lose his billionaire customer, would you? He might pop a bullet in your ass."

"Your ass is what you should be worried about, fag," Ethan snarled. Out of trees came at least five other guys, all as built as Bryce. In fact, I'm pretty sure Bryce was one of them. "See, people don't like it when you lie about their friends."

I scoffed, acting braver than I felt. I was hyper aware of the gun still pointed at my stomach. "So, that's what this is about. Octavian has a hit out on me, huh?"

I don't remember what happened next. Not a shock, 'cause I was hit in the head a lot, and you don't tend to remember things when your brain is basically mush. There was a lot of screaming for me to admit Octavian never hit Hazel, more cussing, calling me "fag," that shit.

_The gun never went off, right?_

Aw, you sound so concerned, it's almost like you love me!

_Beats me why._

Nah, he never fired. Don't think he has the guts to pull the trigger without one of his gang buddies pointing a gun at _his _head. But they beat me up until I couldn't stand. I was on the road, laying on the pavement, crying as they kicked me. "Admit you were lying!" Ethan shouted.

I could beg them to stop, I could cry like a baby, but that was one thing I couldn't say.

Ethan grabbed my shirt and said, "We're going to beat you to death if you don't say it."

He clenched his fist again, ready to deliver the final blow that would definitely knock me out. I knew he wasn't lying. They'd leave me on the road until a car ran me over. _And with Bianca gone, who's going to care? _I thought.

_Umm... Hazel?_

Don't mess up my self pity with your useless facts.

A huge rock hit Ethan right in the temple, as precise as an expert marksman. Not even Bianca could've made that shot. Ethan collapsed. I heard warning gunshots and someone shouting, "You wanna get some, punks!" The boys scattered.

"Let's get them out of the road," a familiar voice said. Gentle hands cradled my neck and lifted me off of the pavement.

"Will?" I croaked.

"I saw Ethan's livestream," Will whispered. "I grabbed Ares. I couldn't let them hurt you."

Ares dragged Ethan to the grass. "Get him in the car, there's a first aid kit in the backseat. I'll deal with these cowards." I could hear the excitement in his voice. He really did love his fighting. Then, he ran off in the direction Bryce and the others had gone.

The backseat of Ares' van looked like it was wrapped in human leather, but it was more comfortable than the road. Will sang while he worked on me with the first aid kit. His voice was deep and scruffy like a country singer. It was beautiful.

"You're a really good singer," I said.

Will laughed. "You should hear my mom. She could've gone pro if, you know, things turned out differently."

"I hate people," I told him. "The world's unfair and stupid and it needs to die."

"Don't say that," Will replied. "That's what they want you to say. Don't let them win. Think about the good things."

"Like what?" I asked.

Will swallowed hard. He cupped my cheek. "If all that hadn't happened in North Carolina, I never would've met you."

He kissed me, and the world faded away. His skin was burning hot, but it burned in the best way. But I felt his tears hit my cheek, so I pulled away and said, "Whatever's wrong, it's okay. I'm not mad at you for taking Bianca's money."

"I realized that," Will said. "But nothing's changed. I can't redo North Carolina. I have nowhere left to go."

"You're going to leave me stranded, then?" I questioned.

"No!" Will cried. "No... I just can't be your boyfriend, but I can still be your friend."

"I- I don't want that," I forced myself to say. "I tried being friends with you, but I like you too damn much to keep things that way. Will... if we can't be together, I have to cut my losses." It was the hardest thing I'd ever had to say.

Will's eyes clouded with grief. "I get it. You're too busy waiting for Percy Jackson," he said bitterly.

"That's not what I said!" I protested. "Will, don't you get it? I've spent six years in love with the guy! I don't- I can't- I can't do that to myself again."

"It's okay, you don't have to explain." Will told me. "You don't love me back. You love him. It's how things go. _C'est la vie._"

I opened my mouth, I wanted to say something, but it was no use. It didn't matter how Will took our conversation. I'd made up my mind. My sunshine was already gone. I pushed myself up from the seat. "I'll walk home. It isn't far."

"I can't let you do that," Will said. "Let me take you home. Please." He kissed me again, lightly on the lips. "Just a few more minutes."

As always, I couldn't resist a thing Will said. Arm over arm, he helped me hobble to my front door. Without a word, I let go and put my hand to the doorknob. I turned back to drink him in one more time. The way his blond curls fell into his blue eyes, the way his pink tongue licked his chapped lips. Will. My Will. One last time.

He was crying. So was I.

"Bye, Will."

"Bye, Nico."

I walked inside. I counted to one hundred. I made it to fifty before I fell on my knees and screamed. The tears wouldn't stop. The world disappeared again, but this time it wasn't in a good way. It was like I was ten years old again, back in the hospital, knowing everything I lived for was gone forever.

I hugged myself, hysterical now. Every part of me hurt, my body, mind, emotions, and soul. "Bianca!" I screamed as loud as I could, as though she could hear me from wherever she was. I screamed her name over and over again, until my face was red and my throat was raw.

Someone grabbed me and pulled me close. They hushed me and rocked me on the ground like I was a baby again.

"Mamma?" I whispered. I was delirious.

"I know, I know, I miss them too," Papà whispered. "We'll find Bianca, Nico. She isn't gone." I opened my eyes. I realized he was crying. His eyes went over my bruised and bloody body and tattered clothes without a hint of anger. "What happened to you?" He asked, horrified. You might even say... concerned. "Who did this?"

"Papà..." I whispered. More tears leaked out. I buried my face in his chest as I cried. He rubbed circles on my back, trying to comfort me. "They beat me up," I admitted. "Papà, I'm gay. I'm..." I couldn't go on.

"Shh..." he said again. "Everything will be all right. You'll always have me, do you understand? I'm not going anywhere."

"I haven't had you in years!" I protested. "After Mamma died, I needed you, and you sent me away!"

Papà took a strangled breath. "That's what you think? Nico, before Bianca woke up, you were all I had left to live for. After you said you were ready to die, I couldn't risk losing you too. You're the light of my life, my pride and joy, my _son._ I love you, I always have, and I always, _always _will."

I cried even harder. It hit me, how could I have been so wrong for so many years? He couldn't be lying. "I'm so scared..." I whispered. "I..." Bianca's words from so many months ago came back to me. I'd never known what I really wanted before, but, in that moment, I realized that, deep down, I'd always known what I needed. "I just want my family back together again."

Papà tenderly kissed my hairline. "Me too."

I woke up, curled in a ball, in Papà's bed the next morning. The sun was already up. I guess he thought it was better I didn't go to school with everything that was happening. I had to agree with him.

Papà was still in his pajamas, on his laptop. He was seething with anger. Persephone sat behind him, looking over his shoulder with her lips pursed. "You have to calm down, Hades," she was saying. I decided to snoop a little. I closed my eyes again and pretended I was asleep so I could eavesdrop.

"_Look _what they did to my son!" Papà hissed. "You should've seen him last night, bleeding and hysterical. No one, _no one _does that to Nico and gets away with it. And the gall to livestream it publicly on Twitch for everyone to see... it's already national news. Seven thousand hits,_ the Today Show_ said, and not a single person called the police. It's infuriating!"

"Twitch has taken down the video, at least," Persephone said.

"And it's already been reposted," Papà shot back. "Doesn't the press realize they're giving Kronos exactly what he wants? National fame, and all he had to do was humiliate my son."

"I know, Hades, but there's nothing we can do," Persephone told him. "The Titans are too powerful for the police to take down, and the video outing Nico isn't against the law. We could pressure the superintendent to expel the boys, but-"

"That's not enough!" Papà roared.

"Shh! You'll wake him up!" The doorbell rang. "I'll see who that is," Persephone said. "_You_ take a minute and calm down. We can't do anything productive without a clear head."

"I'll bring down Kronos for this," Papà vowed. "I don't care if I go bankrupt. The Titans will be gone by our wedding, I swear you that. It'll be my gift to myself."

I heard Persephone walk away. I pretended to wake up. I heard Papà close his laptop. "Good morning," he said. "You fell asleep here last night, Persephone and I didn't want to risk moving you with your injuries."

"Do I have to go to the doctor?" I asked.

"Do you want to?"

"Not really."

"Then I'll let it slide."

"Thanks." I sat up. "I guess I'm not going to school today."

"You are not going there ever again," Papà said. "I won't have you bullied and maimed while the administration turns a blind eye. Twelve hours, and those kids have yet to be punished in any way."

"I'm not gonna argue with that," I admitted. I felt a little like a coward, running, but I also wasn't in the mood to get my face punched in. And if Papà was serious about bringing down the Titans, going to school with members of the gang probably wasn't the smartest idea in the universe. Besides, who did I have there for me anymore? Bianca was gone, whatever Will and I were was over, and Percy-

"Will you wait a moment-"

"Get out of my way, Thalia!"

Papà's door slammed open. I jumped backwards. There was Percy Jackson in all his glory, fuming mad with his eyes trained on me. Persephone, Hazel, and Thalia were close behind, trying to slow him down.

Papà stood, throwing everything he had at Percy. It was enough to make the poor guy flinch. "Think very carefully about what you're going to say to my son, Jackson."

"I'm going to tell that idiot what he needs to hear," Percy snapped. It was pretty impressive. No one could stand up to Papà like that when he was death staring.

_If you're wondering where Nico gets his from... there you go._

"You're ignoring my calls, my texts, snaps, Facebook messages, Discord messages, Insta stories, Tumblr asks; I fucking joined Skype for you! Goddamn Skype! The website for grandparents who don't know what a goddamn iPhone is! Why the fuck do you even _have _a Skype in 2019?! It's like having a fucking MySpace!" Percy took a deep breath. "Okay, sidetrack. But still! _Why?!_"

"Don't you curse at him!" Persephone snapped. "I don't like cursing in my house."

"No, Persephone," I said, calmer than I felt. "It's okay. I want to hear what he has to say."

"You're damn right you do." Percy stomped to the side of the bed and grabbed me by the shirt. "Seven goddamn years being your friend, and you think I'm going to throw you out like trash over a damn crush?! Are you absolutely shitting me?! You and Bianca go fucking radio silent like this... do you have literally no faith in me at all?! I'm pissed, di Angelo, I thought you were better than that!"

I gulped. "You're... not mad I'm in love with you?"

"Why the fuck would I be? You can't help how you feel." Percy dropped his hand from my shirt. "Uh... sorry, man. I know you don't like people touching you."

"It's okay," I said slowly. My head was spinning. _You're not mad I'm in love with you_, echoed around in my head. _I'm in love with you_. That had been true for seven years, but now that I'd said it out loud... I realized... this wasn't what love felt like. Will was what love felt like. Percy... Percy was just a crush I'd been holding onto for so long I'd never realized... "I don't have a crush on you anymore," I thought out loud. "Oh my god. I... Percy... I don'tlove you. Oh my god! I don't love you!" Without thinking, I stood on the bed, jumped in the air, and pumped my fist. "Yes! I don't love you! You hear that, Jackson! I. Don't. Love. You!"

Everyone stared at me, blinking.

"You are a crazy little shit," Thalia muttered.

"Yeah!" I laughed. "And proud!"

My cell phone (still on silent) lit up with yet another call from a private number. But why should I care? I wasn't in love with Percy Jackson! I hit accept, ready to tell off whoever was about to start cussing at me.

"This is Nico di fucking Angelo. And yes, "fucking" is my middle name. My dad's pretty out there."

"I resent that," Papà said.

"Did Mr. di Angelo just _tell a joke_?!" Percy cried.

"Shut up, Jackson!" I yelled. "Sorry, my friends are pretty rude," I said into the phone. "I bet you ten thousand dollars you can't get through this conversation without saying 'fag.' So, what'll it be?"

"I just saw the videos... I'm so sorry, Nico... I love you..."

"Bianca?!" I yelled into the phone. "Bianca, hello? Hello? Where are you? Bianca?"

The phone line went dead.

* * *

**END NOTES**

Wow, I just made myself cry. Huh, who thunk it?

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: As always, I couldn't resist a thing Will said... knowing everything I lived for was gone forever.  
MELODY: And, of course, "Praying" by Ke$ha came on while I was writing this section, and now I'm crying.  
STORY: "Bianca?!" I yelled into the phone. "Bianca, hello? Hello? Where are you?"  
LUNA RAIN: I'm sobbing now so thanks for that  
MELODY: Ke$ha made me cry. I make you cry. It's the circle of tears. (And it moves us alllllll)

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**Guest**

_:How does it feel to be so f*** brilliant?_

Don't feed into my ego, it's big enough!

**AquaEclipse**

_OCTAVIAN, YOUcue violent cussing*_

That about sums it up.

** Crazypony4**

_Nico and Hades reactions were perfect. Hope you write about Bianca's journey on lax. Also I'm not mad at Bianca. She did the best she could do to help her family._

I'm glad you thought so. And of course I will get back to Bianca! Just not yet ;)

_I don't know what to think anymore. I'm feeling just as overwhelmed as Nico is feeling right now. also sorry it took so long to read._

_P.S. formerly Fenikkusu94))_

Don't worry, I don't care how long it takes, I'm just happy you read it! And you don't know what to think anymore? Get ready for that in bucketloads as we reach the finale.

**The Goode Ravenclaw**

_I was so happy when Nico beat up Octavian, but now I want to. HOW DARE HE HUTT MY LITTLE BABIES IT'S NOT RIGHT IN THE SLIGHTEST DEGREE TO OUT SOMEONE AND IT MAKES ME WANT TO GO AT HIM NOW THAT IS NOT OKAY AND AHHHHHHHH._

OCTAVIAN YOU HORRIBLE HUMAN BEING DON'T TOUCH MY NICO!


	18. The Most Intense Shopping Trip Ever

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Bianca competes in Jupiter's Archery Tournament.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2720  
Content Warning: Violence (mild)

Aka the chapter about an archery competition that has no archery scenes in it whatsoever because I don't know a thing about archery even though my boyfriend's literally an archery teacher.

(Or at least he was my boyfriend at the time I wrote this. This is why I need to not write my notes ahead of time too *awkward laughing*)

(Oh, he is SO going to see this.)

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

After I hung up on Nico, I handed Zoë back her phone. "Thanks," I said.

"Anytime," she said. "Octavian is scum. How could anyone do that to Hazel? And I don't like Nico, but he doesn't deserve this."

"You don't like anyone with a dick," I teased her, but it was pretty half-hearted. How could all this happen the moment I say goodbye? Hazel getting hit, Nico being outed, the Titans beating him within an inch of his life, and all of it trending nationally. _Maybe I was right, _a part of me kept saying. _I was holding our family together. Everything will fall apart without me._

But the other part of me said, _What could you have done? How could you have stopped any of this?_

_You could've been there._

I know, Nico, but the whole point of this recording was so I could explain. I know how selfish it was, to run away and stay gone through all that, but I needed to be selfish. I'd given every centimeter of myself away to you and Papà and everyone else in my life, and, in San Francisco, it was like I could breathe again for the first time in six years. I knew if I went home I'd never have the strength to leave again, and I'd waste away for the rest of my life. I'd give and give until there was nothing left. I needed to be responsible for no one else but me.

I guess what I'm saying is, I couldn't be big sister all the time. Not anymore.

...

Are you still mad at me, Nico?

_I... don't know. A little, maybe. It's just... like, you left when I needed you the most, and you did it in the worst way ever. Why didn't you just tell us where you were?_

Because I needed to be so alone that no one could find me. I can't explain it, except that I needed to get away completely. I needed a new life in the fresh air with my bow on my back. I needed a new family, and I got one with Coach Artemis and Zoë.

_And you thought we wouldn't let you go._

No! That's not it at all! I was afraid you'd find me at first, but mostly because if I had to face you guys, I don't think I could've stayed away. I'd be back where I was before.

_Didn't you ever think that was a sign you shouldn't've left in the first place?_

I did. I second-guessed myself all the time. But I'd made my choice, and it... I dunno, it felt like I couldn't go back on it. Like it was a forever promise, a vow I'd taken, and I'd gained as much as I'd lost from it. It was like everything slowed down, and I could see sharper and clearer than I ever had in Los Angeles.

For what it's worth, I still feel guilty about it sometimes. But I don't regret it. I needed to get away so I'd be able to find out who I was besides my last name.

_You were always more than a di Angelo, B._

That's the thing, Nico. I wasn't. Not to me.

_I think we should finish up. We're starting to push it, and I need to get this edited before everyone shows up tomorrow._

Okay, then let's talk about Jupiter's.

The hotel the competitors stay at-La Maldición del Titán-is massive, and full of literally a thousand people. There were over five hundred schools competing from across the country, and there were scouts looking for talent, and press too. When we checked in, I hid my face behind a ton of makeup and my green hat so none of the reporters would recognize me as Bianca di Angelo.

Coach Artemis took care of our paperwork, so that gave Zoë and me the rest of the day to do whatever. "Let's find the nearest Walmart and get you some clothes and toiletries," Zoë suggested. "You didn't bring anything with you, did you?"

"No," I said. "There wasn't time to go home. It was... on a whim."

"You don't need to explain," Zoë assured me.

We found one of those mega-Walmarts pretty close to La Maldición del Titán and loaded up on everything I'd need for the next six weeks.

I told Zoë I could find myself toothpaste before she could get sunscreen. We left the cart in the electronics section and raced each other. I dashed around the store until I found the teeth care aisle. I grabbed the first electric toothbrush and toothpaste I saw, then retraced my steps all the way back to our cart. Zoë and I almost crashed in to each other in the hardware section. We stopped, eyeing each other. It it were a movie, an old west dueling theme would be playing.

"Oh no you don't," I said. Zoë shot me a cunning smile.

"One! Two! Three!"

We both sprinted back to the cart at top speed, narrowly missing some slow-moving customers. "Sorry!" I shouted to a mother with a stroller. She didn't look happy with us.

Zoë made it back a split second before me. We threw our items in the cart, panting and laughing hysterically. Our shopping trip became a mixture of a scavenger hunt and capture the flag from that moment on. It was the first time in a while I'd actually had fun without anything bogging me down.

Training began the next day. We only had two weeks to train before we'd face the first round of competition. The archery range was a fifteen, twenty minutes walk away from the hotel; it opened at 5 a.m. and closed at 9 p.m. Coach Artemis made sure we were there every day from open to close, minus three hour-long breaks for meals where Zoë and I could walk around and do whatever. Every day we crawled into bed with aching arms and legs and headaches from squinting at the bull's-eye for so long.

I was having the time of my life.

The practice range closed after those two weeks to get ready for the first round of competition. We had three days to rest before the list would go up and we'd know our new time slot.

The night before the first round, there was a knock on my door. "Come in!" I yelled. I was watching T.V. and I didn't feel like getting up.

Coach Artemis came into the room. "How are you doing?" she asked. "Ready for tomorrow?"

I laughed. "You've made sure of that."

Coach Artemis smiled too. "Principal Chiron pays me for a reason. I've got to get you two into fighting shape." She sat down on the bed next to me. "How are you, Bianca?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I said slowly. Her question sounded a little loaded.

"Everything all right at home?" she pressed.

I pressed the power button on the remote and the T.V. flicked off. "You know about Nico, huh?"

"It's hard not to," Coach Artemis admitted. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to say," I told her. "I'm sure the kids who hurt him'll get punished. And Nico's strong; he can push through anything. You shouldn't doubt him."

"I notice you haven't been speaking to your family," Coach Artemis said.

I shifted uncomfortably. "I left my phone at home."

"Does your family know you're here, Bianca?"

I gulped. "Um..."

Coach Artemis handed me her cell phone. "They've put a missing persons report out for you. Bianca, either you have to call them or I'm going to. Now, I think you should tell me the truth. The whole truth." I looked down. I couldn't meet her eye. "Do you have a... problem with Nico being gay? Is that it?"

"No!" I cried. "He's my brother and I love him no matter what! Besides, why would I give a shit who he decides to fuck?"

_That's one way of putting it._

She asked me to tell her the whole truth. I care about who you love, you know, if they're a good person and whatnot. I don't give a shit who you decide to fuck.

_Say it again, why don't you?_

I just did.

"Then what is it?" Coach Artemis asked.

I took a deep breath. "I had to get away from it all. I messed up, Coach, I really messed up, and I can't face it, not yet. Please, I just need a little more time."

"I'll lose my job if I keep information from the police," Coach Artemis explained. "I love you girls, but I can't risk that, unless you're in an unsafe situation."

"I'm not," I assured her.

_Wish Zoë knew that when she got you on that plane._

Stop with the grudge. It was my decision, not hers.

Coach Artemis handed me the hotel's landline. "I think you should call your father," she said.

I shook my head, pushing down tears. "I can't."

She sighed. "All right. Then I'll have to go through the police myself. Goodnight, Bianca. Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."

Zoë came out of the shower a little later and found me in tears on the bed. When I told her what was happening, she stormed across the hall to Coach Artemis's room, still in her towel. I heard them shouting through the wall, but it was too muffled to make out what they were saying. Zoë came back pissed, but I told her it wasn't worth it. I didn't want Coach Artemis to lose her job.

I drank an entire bottle of nighttime cold medicine, the drowsy kind, so I could fall asleep that night.

But there were no police cars outside La Maldición del Titán the next day. Nothing about me was trending on Twitter or in the morning news. While Zoë grabbed us breakfast, I knocked on Coach Artemis's door and asked her for an update.

"The police connected me to your father," she said. "I explained the situation to him. He's glad you're safe, and agreed it was best to leave you where you are. You're an adult now, so it's not as though he can just send you home. He said he won't tell anyone else exactly where you are since you obviously don't want him to, and he'll wait until you're ready to talk to him again."

"So he's just going to pretend I don't exist?" I asked, stunned. "I thought one word and he'd be on the next flight to drag me home kicking and screaming."

"He going to do that, but I convinced him otherwise," Coach Artemis said. She shot me a cunning smile. "I'm not about to lose one of my best archers."

I hugged her hard. I wanted to jump for joy. "Thank you thank you thank you!" I cried. I didn't have to go back to my old life. I was safe.

_Safe from your family._

Nico... just let me get through the story. Do you want to finish this or not.

_Yeah, it's just hard hearing it._

...

The next few weeks flew by. Zoë and I stayed near the top of the leaderboards and advanced to each new tier. We started attracting the eye of college recruiters. They were usually more interested in Zoë, but I liked it that way. I didn't need to be in the spotlight.

That changed on July 17th. It was two weeks before the championships, and Zoë and I had qualified. La Maldición del Titán was hosting a big celebration for the twenty remaining schools who'd advanced.

It was near the end of the night. I was sitting in the corner of the ballroom with some mini hotdogs and a cup of lemonade. Coach Artemis sat down next to me. "You should be proud of yourself," she said. "This is the first time in Half-Blood High's history that we've made it to the championships."

"Thanks," I said. "Where's Zoë?"

"Talking to some college recruiters," Coach Artemis said. "I didn't want to disturb her." She paused. "What will you do when July 30th comes and we go home? Will you come back with us?"

"I... don't think so," I said. "I have enough money to get by for a while without a job. I can find a place to stay... but I can't go home, not yet."

"Do you know when you will?" she asked. I shook my head. She got quiet, thinking. "I have a proposition for you, Bianca."

I raised my eyebrows. "Yes?"

"You and Zoë are good. Very good." She smiled at me. "I think you two can go pro, and I want to take you there. I've thought a lot about it this year, that's why I gunned so hard for you to come with us when Thalia dropped out. You're something else, Bianca. I think, with enough time and training, you can reach the top."

"The top? Like, the top top?" I couldn't think straight. How could I when Coach Artemis was suggesting... "Are you saying you could take me to the Olympics?"

"I've already spoken to a few coaches tonight," she told me. "And they agreed-the answer is yes. You and Zoë already have your high school diplomas. If you're serious about not going back to L.A., I'll give Principal Chiron my notice. If Zoë agrees, we'll stay here, the three of us, and take you all the way."

"Yes!" I said immediately, without even thinking about it. _This _was who I was. _This _was what I was meant to do. I'd spent the summer searching, and I'd finally found it. I knew Zoë would say yes too. I could see my new life ahead of me, free from responsibility, free from everything that was holding me down.

_Thanks._

Well, it's how I felt at the time. It's your turn to butt in for a bit.

_Ha._

* * *

Papà told us where Bianca was a few days after Coach Artemis got in contact with him. He said he wouldn't! you say. Yeah, well, piss off. I'm glad he broke his promise.

We, Persephone, Hazel, Thalia, Percy, Sally, and Paul all waited for Jupiter's to start. We were gathered around the T.V., chatting nervously. What if Bianca wasn't there? What if she'd run off again, this time without anyone who knew where she was? What if Coach Artemis was lying?

The doorbell went off. "Would you get that, Nico?" Persephone asked me.

"Sure," I said. It was funny, ever since Papà and I made up, I didn't seem to have much beef with her anymore.

I opened the door. It was Will. We hadn't spoken in two months.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I said.

I should've invited him in, but there were people in that house. And the moment I saw him, fire ignited in my stomach. I thought going without him would make my feelings go away. It turned out things weren't that simple. Love didn't work the way I used to think it did. It had only been a year since the Announcement™, but that's more than enough time to change your entire world.

So, I stepped outside and closed the door behind me. It was a warm, sunny day, the perfect weather for dreams to come true. And, look at that, there wasn't a soul in sight.

"I know I shouldn't bother you-" Will began, but I cut him off.

"I'm glad you did," I said. Courage pumped through my veins. Everything that had seemed to hard to say to Will just... didn't anymore. "I love you too, Will."

"I- I thought you loved Percy Jackson," he said.

"I thought I did, too," I said. "But as soon as I told him that... I realized it wasn't true anymore. Listen, Will... I need you back in my life. If you want to be friends until you're ready to come out... I'm okay with that. And if you never want to get together... I'm okay with that too."

"That's why I came to find you," Will said. He took my hand in his. "I'm ready to come out again if it means I get to have you."

I leaned in a little. His lips were so close now. "Do you want to come inside?" I asked. "Bianca's about to be on T.V. Percy's over, too."

"In a minute," Will said. "Right now, I don't think I want a crowd."

I don't remember who kissed who first. All I know is that enough sparks flew to burn L.A. to the ground.

* * *

**END NOTES**

Solangelooooooo!

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: I drank an entire bottle of nighttime cold medicine, the drowsy kind, so I could fall asleep that night.  
MELODY: "How'd you die?"  
"I overdosed on cold medicine."  
LUNA: "Why would you do that?"  
"I wanted a nap."  
MELODY: "You realize that's even stupider than dying by Hades figurine?"  
"Shut up Charon my dad owns you."

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

**AquaEclipse**

_…how can humanity be this sadistic? (This is why the title is fitting.) I was about to do some inter-dimensional travelling to yeet a whole town off the tallest building in the world._

I don't know why people love to pick on other people, but, unfortunately, jerks exist everywhere.

**Dem208**

_Am i actually...THANKFUL to Ares for saving Nico?  
__And i swear Ethan WILL PAY but omg who the heck was dumb enough to give that dolt a gun  
__great chapter tho, as always! :)_

Hey, Ares isn't too bad, he just has a major case of bloodlust.  
Who was dumb enough to give Ethan a gun? That would be Kronos, presumably.

_AND THIS CHAPTER BROKE MY ALREADY SHATTERED HEART. GURL I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS *Sobs sooooo dramatically* HOW COULD YOU MAKE WILL AND NICO-AND THEN BIANCA-AND THEN PERCY-WHAT- AND AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

Hey, when it comes to writing I HAVE NO FRIENDS! YOU SHALL ALL SUFFER! ALL!

_(I know i keep making reviews im sorry)  
__"You might even say...cOnCeRnEd"._

Believe me, I don't mind multiple reviews.  
That part with Nico and Hades is one of my favorite moments in this entire fic, if not my favorite hands down. It's so sweet, and so cathartic, too.

_YES! I DONT LOVE YOU ANYMORE! YESSSSSSSSSSS!"  
__ohmygod Nico you are such an ADORABLE DOLT!_

He really is XD

**Mumu**

_I HAVE ONE WORD  
__whymustyoudothis  
__Omg your stories are always so good but they always make me flip a table too. WHY! *runs away sobbing hysterically and muttering nonsense about Solangelo*_

Why do I do this? I like to torture you. :P

_well, two things are for sure.  
__You're the best author ever, and the di Angelos are the most messed up family ever._

I can't confirm or deny the former, but I can certainly confirm the latter. They are, indeed, quite dysfunctional.

_I dropped what I was doing to read this and oh my wow. Will needs to get it together. Nico has an amazing support system of friends so Will you wouldn't be going through the same thing. He needs to get it together, man._

Dropped everything? That's a huge compliment.  
Look at the story from Will's perspective: of course he's scared after what happened to him. Who wouldn't be? Even if he agreed that he'd be accepted by his friends, the intense bullying probably is still messing with his mind. Of course, now we know they do indeed get together, but I can understand Will's hesitation.


	19. Nico's Dam Present

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

Bianca goes home.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 2967  
Content Warning: Violence (mild)

Hey guys! Sorry for the break, but between the holidays and moving to NYC (!) I've had absolutely no time for, like, anything.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

_K, Bianca, time to wrap this up._

You got it. I'll be quick.

I was terrified when I stepped up into the archery range for the championships. All I could hear was the roar of the crowd chanting my name. Curse of being from a famous family-they all knew who I was even if my name wasn't displayed in lights. I hadn't been following social media, but I'm sure I'd been trending at some point.

I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. I was on TV and in front of thousands of people. I wasn't a superstar, I was just Bianca, the shy girl from the outskirts of Los Angeles.

Zoë and Coach Artemis watched me from the sidelines. I shot them a nervous look. Coach Artemis smiled at me encouragingly. Zoë had a grim expression on her face (like always), but she nodded to me. Zoë had gotten a perfect 20. There were three other schools with a perfect 40, but none of them had gotten a bull's-eye. If we wanted a chance at winning, I needed to get a perfect 20 too.

_You can do this_, I thought. If I was going to the Olympics, I had to get used to competing in front of a huge crowd.

I stepped up to the target and notched an arrow. The skirt of my brown dress fluttered in the wind. My hair and green hat flew behind me like someone had pointed a fan at my face. My hair was out of my eyes for the first time in a very, very long time, even though all I wanted to do was hide behind it. It felt like a encouragement from Mamma up above, like she was telling me I could do it, that I didn't have to hide anymore.

I grabbed my first arrow. My hands shook as I notched it. The roar of the crowd was deafening.

_Think of something else, _I thought.

I closed my eyes and I was back in our apartment in _Venezia_. My family was sitting around our T.V. Mamma had streaks of grey in her hair. Papà had his arm around her and was smiling. Nico was crouched on the floor, watching me with an intense expression.

My family back together again. Home. All of us the way we used to be. That would always be my dream, no matter how far I ran. But I didn't long for it anymore. Instead, it filled me with strength. We would always have each other; they would always be the fire in my heart. If we could get past the plane crash, I could do this.

"Shoot straight," Nico whispered in my mind's eye. He always told me that before every competition. It was his way of telling me to break a leg.

_I said it in real life, too._

I opened my eyes. Wind was pushing slightly to the right. I adjusted my stance. There was the target, 70 meters away. I pulled back the bowstring and fired my first arrow. It hit the inner circle, slightly left of the bull's-eye X. I took another deep breath and notched my second arrow. I adjusted my stance and fired.

Bull's-eye.

The crowd screamed. On the screens above me, the perfect 20 flashed with a single star signifying the bull's-eye. The world spun around me. Half-Blood High rose to the top of the leaderboard.

I was the only one who got a perfect 20 and bull's-eye. Because of me, the Half-Blood Hellhounds won for the first time in their history.

Coach Artemis put in two week's notice the next day. The three of us found an apartment near the Golden Gate Park, which had the best archery range in San Francisco. She pushed Zoë and I hard that summer and in September, we went to our first professional competition. You need a 70 meter round of 605 to qualify for the Olympics. It's... a long process. I'm around 200 now, and Zoë's about 230. For a year of training, that's pretty good.

I thought about calling home constantly, but every time, I couldn't get myself to dial. Soon, a year went by.

I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw a sponsored post from TMZ. The title said, "An Insider's Look at the Wedding of Hades di Angelo." I paused. I didn't _read _the article, because TMZ is trash, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the headline. It was already the beginning of June. Papà and Persephone were getting married in a month.

Suddenly, it hit me how homesick I was. I'd set out to find a life and dreams outside my family, and I'd done that. I wanted to go home. I _needed _to go home.

I picked up my cell phone and dialed. "Nico?" I said. "It's Bianca. Tell Papà I'm coming home for the wedding."

I would've gone right then and there, but Zoë and I had a competition July 20th. I booked a flight for July 22nd. I spoke to Nico every day after that. We had a lot to catch up on.

And that brings me to today. Nico was saying a few days ago how he'd gotten into sound mixing, and I kept thinking about last year. It all feels so long ago, but also like it just happened. I don't think either of us had time to process it all. So, I joked that we should make a little exposé podcast as a way to talk about things without getting all serious. Nico figured out how to record together through the internet, and we decided to do it.

_I mean that's kind of obvious._

So, guys, this is the twenty-minute version of-how long have we been recording?

_Including yesterday... 'bout seven hours._

Geez.

_You're telling me. Papà, the next time you need a sound engineer, remember I cut seven hours of content into under a half-hour. I deserve a medal._

Wait until you actually do it to start bragging.

_Fuck you._

But, yeah, here's all the things that neither of us could really say. It's my confession, I guess, the bad things I did and why, and, most importantly, why I ran.

_Sprinkled in with bits of my love life and eternal torment! Don't forget about that!_

Ha ha. What I'm trying to say is... I hope this will make you understand that it wasn't personal, and that I had to. I hope this'll help you guys forgive me.

Congratulations, Papà, Persephone. You're going to be the greatest power couple there ever was.

Okay, we're done. I gotta finish packing, so I'll ttyl.

_Dude, you're leaving tomorrow and you aren't done yet?_

Shut up.

_You know you love me._

Yeah, Nico. I do. See ya.

_Bye._

*recording ends*

* * *

Bianca X-d out of the window and took off her headphones. The apartment was too quiet without Nico's voice in her ear. Coach Artemis and Zoë were spending the day at the archery range, training, like always. They wouldn't be back until Bianca was already asleep. Papà said the private jet would be ready to go around five a.m., and she wanted to be in the sky as soon as possible. Originally her family was going to meet her, but with everyone arriving for the wedding that wasn't going to happen.

_By this time tomorrow, you'll be back home._

If only the sun would set faster.

She put on her usual trash music to fill the empty silence. Every time she let herself think, she got homesick again.

Bianca got on the plane the next day at 5 on the dot. She quickly buckled her seatbelt-no shock, planes made her incredibly nervous. The first time she'd flown to San Francisco, the adrenaline of what she'd been doing kept her calm. Every time since, whenever Coach Artemis had flown them to a competition, the terror of crashing set back in.

The plane landed a few hours later at an airport about an hour from her mansion. When she stepped off the plane, Jules-Albert was standing there with his bag. He quickly explained that Papà wasn't able to get away. It took a little while for her to understand (she hadn't used sign language in a year and was a little rusty) but when she figured it out, she had to bite her lip to keep from crying. She wanted to see her family so badly.

She stared out the window the entire way home. Now that she was completely awake and without her music, she started to reflect on the recording. So much had happened in the last year... and Nico still seemed bitter about it all. All those times he said he wished he hadn't done a certain thing, and when they'd gotten to the part about Bianca running away... she couldn't get his comments out of her head.

And the stories. Hearing everything he went through the second she left... the recording had gone from joking and fun to dramatic and serious. She'd been practically speechless. Guilt was setting in now. Nico was right. She'd left in the worst way possible, and he was the one who'd paid for it.

Bianca lowered the privacy barrier in the limo. She tapped Jules-Albert on the shoulder-his sign to stop the car. He pulled to the side of the road and put the emergency lights on. He shot her a questioning glance.

"I want to walk around a bit. I'll call you when I'm ready to go home," she said as she signed. He let her out of the car.

It was a nice day, if a bit cloudy. Still, Bianca was shivering. Nico's stories were sucking the life out of her. She took a deep breath of the fresh air. At least it was less claustrophobic out of that limo.

She decided she'd walk the same direction Jules-Albert was driving until she figured out exactly where she was. She threw her headphones on and blasted the first podcast in her feed. _Dear Hank and John _usually made her laugh, but she couldn't get into it today.

She was halfway through it when she finally came across civilization. She knew the area, but she couldn't place it. She wandered around the streets until she came across a very familiar alley. Alabaster's alley, where Nico would meet him to buy drugs. She was in the slums. The Titan's territory.

Her heart raced with fear. Papà had spent the last year trying to stuff the gang out as revenge for what they did to Nico. With the best private investigators money could buy, multiple arrests had already been made. If she came across a single gang member, and they knew who she was, she was dead. And of course they'd know who she was, every archery tournament she'd done in the last year was televised and covered on social media. She was becoming a bit of a rising star-Hades di Angelo's olympic daughter.

_I have to find an address so someone can pick me up._

Her phone didn't have enough of a signal to pull up her Maps app. Without it, she had no idea where she was, and couldn't call for the car. She speed-walked around the streets, looking for some store or numbered building. Why didn't all buildings have numbers displayed? It was so annoying!

Finally, she came across a store. "The Junkyard of the Gods," she read aloud. It looked like either a thrift store or a pawn shop. She could never tell the two apart.

A bell rang when she opened the door. "How can I help you, ma'am?" a man said. Bianca recognized the accent. It took her a second to place it, but then she realized-it was the man who'd driven her to LaGuardia airport! What was his name?

"Dr. Thorn!" she greeted him. "Do you remember me?"

"Bianca di Angelo," the man said with a smile. "Yes, I remember. Your earrings sold very well."

"I'm glad," she said. "I'm waiting for my ride, is it all right if I chill for a bit?"

"As long as you don't steal anything," he joked. Bianca forced herself to laugh. Now that they were face to face, he was freaking her out a little. He was a greasy man with two different colored eyes. He kept leering at her... was that supposed to look friendly?

She decided against the limo because it would attract too much attention. So, she pulled out her phone and prayed she'd have enough bars to text Persephone to come and pick her up. She still had that same beat-up Volvo she'd driven before she'd gotten engaged.

* * *

QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD

Hey, can you pick me up? I'm at this pawn shop called the Junkyard of the Gods. It's at 1050 Highland St.

**What are you doing in the projects?**

Went for a walk, took a wrong turn. Don't worry, I'm safe. Just come and get me.

**I'll be there in ten minutes. Bianca, five minutes back home and you're already headache. ;)**

Worse than Demeter?

**Oh, no one's worse than her. But you're getting close.**

* * *

Bianca pursued the back of the store. There were a bunch of little statues. On closer inspection, she realized they were from Mythomagic, that game Nico was obsessed with when he was a kid. It had been so long since he'd touched that game, but he still had it in the back of his closet.

That's when she saw it. Sitting right in the center of the gods and goddesses was the Hades figurine. The only one Nico didn't have, the one she and her parents had spent months looking for in Italy. It was right there.

_I need to get that for Nico. I have to make this all up to him. It's perfect._

She felt around for her wallet.

_Shit. I left it in the limo._

She shot a quick glance towards the counter. Dr. Thorn was reading something. And she was all the way in the back of the store; he wouldn't notice if she just... borrowed it?

_I'll come back and give him the money later. Besides, I made him a shit ton with those earrings._

In a flash, she grabbed the Hades figurine and stuffed it in her bra. She used her phone camera as a mirror. Completely inconspicuous.

* * *

QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD

** I'm here.**

* * *

"Thanks!" Bianca called to Dr. Thorn, and she ran out of the store. She was home free.

Persephone grinned at her when she slid into the front seat of the car. "I'd get out and hug you, but I want to get out of here before someone recognizes us."

"Yeah," Bianca agreed. They sped down the road a little faster than was legal, but who was going to know? They spent the rest of the ride home catching up on everything, how training was going, all the crazy things Demeter had gotten up to, wedding plan woes, all that good stuff.

Bianca was ready to burst with happiness when Persephone pulled into their driveway. She was buzzing with excitement. Home. She was home.

She bolted out of the car. Standing there was Papà, Nico, and Hazel. Bianca ran into her father's arms, shouting, "Papà!" He hugged her back, hard. He was too choked up to say anything. So was she.

"Group hug!" Hazel cried.

"Ah, Haze, you know I hate-" Nico started to say, but Hazel pulled him in anyway.

"What the hell," Persephone said with a laugh, and she joined in too.

As soon as she got inside, Thalia tackled her to the ground. "The bitch is back!" she shouted.

Luke laughed. "The traditional Thalian greeting," he joked. Bianca took a look at him. He seemed so different now that he'd spent time in jail. He'd only gotten out the week before, but the change was enormous. He'd taken a paid internship in D.O.A. Recording Studios until he could find something more to his liking, even though by Papà's own admission it paid almost nothing. He even brought their daughter Elizabeth to work with him so Thalia wouldn't have to worry about paying for daycare. He really had become the guy Thalia always swore he could be. Bianca was eternally grateful for it.

"Bianca di Angelo is back in the house!" Rachel announced. She, Jason Leo, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Piper, and Will were all standing there with grins on their faces. Bianca squealed and laughed as she hugged each of her friends. Then, she ran over to Sally and gave her a hug, too.

"Let's get this party started!" Leo shouted.

"Let's get a _neat gathering of friends _started," Persephone corrected.

"Got it!" Will told her. "I'll keep these rapscallions in line."

"Could you be any more of a dork?" Nico teased, but he was smiling.

Bianca turned to him. "I have a present for you," she said, "but don't ask what it is. You'll get it after the wedding."

Nico groaned dramatically. "I can't believe you'd torture me like that. My own sister!"

Bianca kissed him on the cheek, teasing. "Just one more day, _mio caro fratello_. Tell them I'll be down in a sec, I want to throw my stuff in my room."

Bianca hummed as she skipped up the stairs. Her room was exactly as she remembered it. She made sure to hide the Hades figurine in her nightstand drawer in case Nico came snooping around.

She took a moment to sit on her bed. She stared at the picture of Maria on the top of her nightstand. "There's no place like home, Mamma," she said with a contented sigh. "Everything's perfect. It almost feels too good to be true."

She didn't give the sentiment much thought, though. She was too busy racing back to her friends.

* * *

**END NOTES**

Raise your hand if you caught my Little Women reference? I know, I know, I'm a dork.

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: I said it in real life, too.  
JOJO: awww  
MELODY: Nico's a teddy bear deep down  
JOJO: nico's a teddy bear like a quarter of a millimetre below the surface he's just in denial  
LUNA: Nico's a teddy bear period. He's just to busy being a dumb-ass to admit it.

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!

**COMMENTS**

Thank you to **Eventide66 **and **SaltyGiraffe664** for favoriting this story!

**AquaEclipse**

_KISS! KISS! KISS! KISS!  
__Let the ship sail on! Supportive siblings and all coming with the package!_

!

**Mumudem208**

_AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THEY KISSED THEY KISSED THEY KISSED  
__IM CALLING THE POLICE ON YOU  
__FOR NOT DOiNG IT SOONER  
__*throws slipper at you*  
__AND THIS POOR EXCUSE FOR A CHAPTER  
__THIS AINT LITERATURE  
__IT'S ALL THE ANGST AND MISERY AND SOLANGELO IN THE WORLD DISTILLED INTO ONE TOXIC MIXTURE.  
__HOW COULD YOU MAKE SUCH GREAT CHAPTERS! ITS AGAINST THE LAW  
__*sobs hysterically in the corner with extra large bowl of ramen*_

I'm glad you enjoyed it XD

** .horizon**

_I been seeing this story keep on coming into the main page of pjo fan fiction but I never clicked on it. It seemed like something that was a good idea but fails in like the first few chapters. And solangelo is not that great in my opinion so it seemed out of my interest. This morning I decided to screw it cause I was bored and read the first chapter. Well let's just say I might of binge read it and possibly lock myself in my room as I devoured this story. So yeah great story and you got a new follower._

Well, I'm glad I've got you in my clutches ;)

_Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Solangelo kiss! Finally! Aaaaaagggggghhhhhhhh!_

Yay!


	20. Hades Wins the World Record for Grudges

**CHAPTER SUMMARY**

The wedding of Hades di Angelo and Persephone Levesque.  


**BEGINNING NOTES**

Word Count: 3494  
Content Warning: Violence (mild)

This one went way over 3K, but I'm wrapping up a lot of loose ends, so it was kind of unavoidable.

So, a few announcements before I get into the story:

1\. Sorry for the massive delay, between college, a full-time job, moving states, and a million other things, this kinda fell to the wayside.  
2\. I've been working on my online portfolio, set to go up sometime this month. The domain will be themelodyrose dot com, but it's not live just yet.  
3\. I'm starting to write my next fic (besides the BBC Merlin one; updates soon but that one's going to be slow). It's basically a 1940's spy thriller taking place in Italy, but beyond that would spoil the fun so I'll leave it there. I don't know when it's going up, but in the next few weeks, I promise.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE:  
4\. Remember how I said I'm putting up my website/online portfolio? Well, I need reviews/testimonials from you guys saying that I'm a decent writer. So, if you like my work, please comment any compliments you have on me as a WRITER, not this particular story.

It's been a wild ride, guys. Thanks for sticking with me until the end.

And all the characters are owned by Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

* * *

Nico tugged at his collar for the millionth time. He hated collared shirts. If it were up to him, he'd spend every day in black t-shirts with obscure band logos and memes printed on the front. But Papà had insisted he come to the wedding in a tuxedo, and Nico thought it was best to just humor him. After all, it was his father's special day.

There was a knock on his door. "Come in!" Nico called.

Hazel opened the door. "Oh my god, you look _amazing_!" she gushed.

"I'd better. This thing is strangling me," Nico complained. "You look beautiful, Hazel."

He wasn't lying. She was in a simple, cream-colored dress that fell just past her knees and matching flats. She was wearing the set of sapphire jewelry-earrings, necklace, bracelet-Nico had gotten her for her birthday (they were her birthstone). Her hair was pulled back into a bun on the top of her head, with just a few curls framing her face. She looked like a princess from a fairytale.

"Are you ready to go? Hades seems really stressed," Hazel said.

"Yeah, sorry," Nico said. "Tell him I'll be down in two seconds."

Hazel left him alone, standing in front of his mirror once again. There was this uncomfortable feeling he couldn't shake, and it had nothing to do with the tux. He found himself sitting on his bed, a picture of Mamma in his hand. He'd made his peace with the wedding-Papà deserved to be happy, after all-but still...

His door opened again; Bianca never bothered to knock. She was wearing an emerald green dress, the skirt cut in an angle so one half ended above the knee, and the other ended halfway down her lower leg. She'd curled her hair and pulled it back with two diamond clips. Her lips were Marilyn Monroe red.

She sat next to Nico on the bed without a word. She stared at the picture of Mamma from over his shoulder. "I feel the same way, you know," she said at last.

"You do? You've always seemed cool with it," Nico replied.

"I'm good at pretending. I even convinced myself." She reached for the picture. Nico let her take it. "Maybe that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I ran 'cause I couldn't cope." She put the picture down on her lap. "The day he told us, I spent the night crying on the stairs."

"Really?" Nico asked.

Bianca nodded. "But, you know, Mamma loved Papà so much. She'd want this for him, she'd want him to be happy and move on, even if she was jealous. Because that's what love is: putting people before yourself." She looked up at Nico. "I should've realized that. I never should've left you alone, not after I found out about the video."

Nico had wanted to hear that apology for a year. But, to his surprise, once she said it, all the resentment he'd built up went away. His eyes were finally open. "You needed to find out who you were," Nico said. "It was my fault too. I kept saying I didn't need anyone but you, but that's a lot of pressure to put on you. You were selfish for a year. I was selfish for six."

Bianca grabbed both of his hands. "Well, let's not be selfish anymore, then. Let's go downstairs and put on a brave face. I think it's time we moved on, too."

Nico pulled her into a hug. "You're right," he said. "Let's do it."

Hazel was right. Papà was one big bundle of nerves. It wasn't enough that most people would notice-like Nico, he was pretty good at hiding his emotions-but little things like the way he kept tapping his fingers on his knee gave it away. It was a little cramped in the limo with all three di Angelos, Persephone, Hazel, Demeter, Will, Luke, Thalia with a sleeping Elizabeth on her lap, and Persephone's wedding dress hanging in the back, which took up enough space to count as a person. But the limo was made for twelve people, so Nico didn't bother to complain. It was the ultimate first-world problem: my limousine usually has enough space for all of us to lie down, what a tragedy we actually have to sit up straight.

Papà didn't speak, but Persephone happened to speak _more _when she was nervous. And, of course, there was Demeter being Demeter. By the time they arrived at the Olympus Empire Country Club, Papà looked like he was ready to snap.

Bianca definitely noticed it too. "Persephone, Hazel and I can help you and Demeter with your wedding dress. We should probably get going."

"Is it so late already?" Persephone looked on the verge of tears.

"What do you expect with those di Angelo children lollygagging around?" Demeter criticized.

Papà's jaw clenched. "Now, Demeter-"

"Yeah she's totally right!" Nico said quickly. He _really _didn't want an argument. "I'm always late for everything, right Will?"

"Yeah!" Will agreed readily. "I'm always getting on his case about it!"

"At least _you're _with someone sensible," Demeter huffed. Papà rolled his eyes. Persephone mouthed 'thank you' to him. 'Anytime,' he mouthed back.

They got out of the limo without another incident. There was already press waiting outside the doors. As soon as the di Angelo/Levesque clan came into view, cameras started flashing and people started shouting questions.

"Is there no security around here?" Papà snapped.

"They won't be allowed inside, everything will be fine," Persephone told him, but she didn't sound so sure of it herself.

Nico shielded his face from the lights as they walked to the doors. He heard multiple questions shouted at him, most of them with the word "gay" in it. He was slightly offended. He'd spent years robbing stores, smoking pot illegally, and getting into fistfights, and _that _was what the world decided was the biggest scandal?

_There's more to me than my sexuality, idiots. If you're going to harrass me, at least make it about something I fucking did. _

They made it past the animals. The building was huge, with chandeliers, high ceilings, and grand staircases. Papà glared at the empty security desk. He looked like he was ready to kill a man.

Bianca shot a glance at Thalia. "Luke and I can track down security," Thalia offered. "You know we can kick their asses into gear, Mr. di Angelo."

"Do you have to curse?" Persephone complained.

"She's not our ward anymore, Persephone, she's perfectly entitled," Hades said. "That would be wonderful, Thalia, thank you."

"I'll take Elizabeth," Bianca offered. Thalia handed the portable car seat to her. Then, she and Luke headed off in a random direction to find the security office.

"You wanna go for a walk?" Will whispered in Nico's ear. His eyes were a little mischievous. Nico loved it. But, as much as he'd love a cheeky makeout session with his boyfriend, today wasn't about them.

"I'm going to stick with Papà," Nico said. "We can find some alone time at the reception."

"I'll find Lou Ellen and Cecil, then. They got here a little while ago," Will said. He gave Nico a quick peck on the cheek and headed off towards the ballroom.

"You can go with him," Papà offered. "I have Zeus and Poseidon to help me get ready."

"Nah," Nico said, "I can't leave you alone with those two. Well, I can, but I don't want my Papà to be charged with a double homicide on his wedding day."

"They deserve death," Papà grumbled. "I should _not _have been the one to break into the church graveyard. It was Zeus's damn baseball."

"You drew lots, and you lost," Nico reminded him.

"They rigged it."

"Uh-huh."

"They've always had it out for me."

"You do realize you all were fourteen, right? And it's been thirty years?"

"Thirty years doesn't change injustice."

Nico rolled his eyes. "You can hold a grudge better than I can."

Papà got an amused glint in his eye. "I try to excel in all things. Besides, you've never seen Mother Rhea angry."

The rest of the morning went okay. Nico had to step in to diffuse a few bombs between Papà and his old foster brothers, but that was to be expected. He didn't know why the three of them still talked to each other. They were always at each other's throats.

At one o'clock, Mellie the wedding planner told them to get into the reception hall. "Just to be clear, you put Thalia far from us?" Zeus asked Mellie. Nico grit his teeth; he saw Papà do the same. It was horrible, the way Zeus had let Juno throw Thalia out of the house.

"She's in the back, by the door, with the rest of the children's friends," Mellie assured him. "I thought that would be best anyway, in case the baby cries she can leave without disrupting the ceremony."

"Baby?" Zeus questioned.

"Elizabeth," Papà said, his voice dripping with attitude. "Her daughter."

Zeus raised his eyebrows. "Elizabeth Grace?"

"Elizabeth Castellan," Papà corrected. "Thalia got married, too. Not that you would care, Zeus."

Mellie clapped her hands. "Let's get going! Come on, Zeus, Poseidon, let's get our groomsmen into position!"

"Jason will be sitting with the rest of the teenagers as well," Papà said. "It was a... special request of mine."

Zeus didn't say anything. Nico relished his father's evil little smile. Thalia had her husband back, and now she was going to be able to spend some time with her long lost brother. After everything she'd been through, it was nice to give her a little victory. In the few months she'd stayed with them as their ward, before she bought her new apartment, she'd become a part of the family. The family she'd never had before.

Nico sat between Bianca and Will in the reception hall. Both he and Bianca were doing their best to joke around with their friends, but it rang a little hollow. It was hard, letting go.

Bianca grabbed Nico's hand when the processional began. She looked a little pale. Nico figured he didn't look much better. He was glad he they were in the back; he didn't want Papà to see them like this. It would ruin his special day.

Papà came down the aisle first. He kept his eyes dead ahead like he always did when he was nervous. His face was guarded. It was a little sad; his own wedding day, but he still had to play the part of the shrewd businessman for the photos that would inevitably leak onto the internet. The sarcastic, sentimental, loving man that Nico had come to know in the last year graced only a chosen few.

But even his guarded expression melted away when Demeter walked Persephone down the aisle. She looked gorgeous in her sprawling wedding dress, even with her face covered by the veil. There was such love in their eyes, both of them.

_He deserves this. He deserves to be happy. _

"My friends, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union between Hades di Angelo and Persephone Kore Levesque..."

Nico heard Luke and Thalia whispering behind him, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He took a quick glance-they looked too concerned to be talking about Elizabeth. Thalia whispered something to Grover, who was sitting right in front of her. He glanced towards the door and his eyes widened. He whispered something to Percy, and Percy got the exact same expression.

Nico elbowed Bianca. "I think something's wrong with Luke and Thalia," he whispered.

"Can't it wait?" Bianca whispered back.

In response, Nico gestured to the Castellans. It was clear: no, it couldn't.

Bianca pursed her lips. "Let's go into the hall. I'm sure Thalia and Luke will follow us if something's up."

Bianca was sitting right next to the outside aisle, so it wasn't hard to get up and slip out the back. As if on cue, Thalia, Grover, and Percy stood up too. Luke couldn't because he had Elizabeth asleep on his lap. Bianca and Nico slipped out the door. They'd wait for their friends in the hall, since it would take a minute for the three of them to shimmy past their other friends.

The two di Angelos stood by the door. The press was nowhere to be seen, probably forced off the lot once Luke and Thalia made a fuss. There was one man, though, who slipped inside. He was a greasy guy with two different colored eyes. Bianca raised her eyebrows. "Dr. Thorn?" she asked incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you," he said in a Persian accent. "To reclaim what is rightfully mine. I told you not to steal from me, Miss di Angelo."

"I- I didn't steal," Bianca stammered out. "I was going to swing by tomorrow and give you the money, I just didn't have my wallet on me, and you have to understand-"

"Spoiled little girl," Dr. Thorn snapped. "That statue was part of a first-edition set. Four thousand dollars I would've made, the collector came today, and one piece was missing. Luckily, a friend of mine was able to... reimburse me."

Without any warning, someone grabbed Nico from behind and locked him in a chokehold. Nico started to struggle. "Sorry, bud, no can do," his attacker said. It was Alabaster C. Torrington.

Dr. Thorn had sold them out to the Titans.

"Di Angelos are worth a lot of money these days..." Dr. Thorn said with a sneer. Another man stepped out from behind him, this one with a pointed chin and goatee, like Jafar from _Aladdin_.

"Bring her closer, Atlas," the man said. Bianca's captor walked her closer to the goatee man. "You may not know this, being in San Francisco, but your father has caused me a lot of trouble," he continued. "I've waited a year for both of the di Angelo children to be back together. Thank you for tipping me off, Thorn. Krios will give you your compensation."

"Thank you, Kronos," Dr. Thorn said. Nico and Bianca both gasped.

"Get them outside before someone sees us," Kronos said to Atlas and Alabaster. "We'll keep them safe and sound until their dear father learns his lesson. Maybe we'll get the traitor Luke out of it, too." Then, he turned back to Bianca and Nico. "Remember, if you make a fuss, I _don't _have to keep you in... mint condition."

Bianca's eyes darted around, but there was nothing she could do.

Or so Nico thought.

She kicked Alabaster in the leg, hard. He toppled to the ground, bringing Nico down with him. Nico took advantage of the fall to push Alabaster off of him. For a split second, his eyes met Bianca's. Her message rang loud and clear:

_This is my fault. Run. Get help. _

So, he did. He burst into the reception hall and screamed, "The Titans are here! They have Bianca!"

The crowd screamed. Papà sprinted down the aisle, a wild kind of fire in his eyes.

_I have to help him before he gets himself killed. _

"Kid!" Ares shouted. From across the room, with impeccable aim, he threw Nico his sword, Erebos. Why did he have it on him? It was Ares. Nico didn't bother to question anything that man did.

Nico ran back into the hall, sword in hand. Kronos met his eye. "I warned you," he said. A gun went off, and Bianca di Angelo was on the floor, bleeding out from a bullet to the heart.

"NO!" Nico screamed. Bianca wasn't... she couldn't be...

Rage Nico had never felt before encompassed his whole being. He screamed and charged at Kronos. Just like he had when he fought the college kids last December, he threw Erebos like a throwing knife, this time, straight at Kronos. This time, though, the sword was razor sharp. It sliced the side of Kronos's neck like butter.

Kronos roared with pain. Nico dove for Erebos, narrowly missing a bullet from Atlas's gun. He circled back to the Lord of the Titans, who was nearly passed out from blood loss. He grabbed Kronos by the hair and held him up right in front of himself like a human shield. "Shoot me and kill him," Nico growled. Atlas hesitated just long enough for Papà to grab him from behind. Nico slammed Kronos's head on the tile floor. The Lord of the Titans fell limp. Either he was dead or unconscious. Nico didn't care which one.

Papà was still fighting Atlas, and Thalia and Percy were busy with Alabaster. There was no one with Bianca.

Nico ran to her side.

"Reach into my pocket," Bianca said. Her voice was so weak...

"You're wearing a dress. You don't have pockets," Nico said without thinking. His sister was dying in his arms, and here he was, bickering with her like he always did.

"Dresses without pockets aren't worth shit," Bianca said. She grabbed Nico's hand and guided him to the pocket. He reached inside. Out came a small statue... it was a Mythomagic Hades figurine.

Nico took a sharp breath. "That's what you stole?"

"I wanted to say I was sorry," Bianca said, but she was struggling to speak. "Nico... Nico, I need you to... do me a favor."

"Anything," he said, tears in his eyes.

"Promise me you'll... wear that aviator's jacket more?" she said. "You... you look good when you're not in black."

"I'll wear it every day," he replied. His voice broke and the tears came.

"Good," she said. "Because... because listen to me..." She grinned at him. "I'm not... dying... over a... damn... Hades figurine..." She started to hyperventilate, but she kept grinning. "Now, tell me... the truth... the other night... when we finished the first... half of the recording... did you and... Will have sex?"

Nico recoiled on instinct. "Why the fuck are you asking me that question?"

"It's the... first thing that... popped into my head..." Bianca admitted.

"Thanks for asking about my sex life, Tommy Wiseau," Nico said.

"So, did you?" Bianca pressed. She tried to laugh, but all she could do was smile.

"Um, yeah," Nico confessed, blushing.

"Was it... your... first time?"

"Double yeah."

Bianca's smile got wider. "I'm glad you... found each other."

Nico grinned back. "I'm glad you introduced us, even if it was kind of fucked up."

"Our lives... are kind of... fucked up... if you haven't... noticed."

That's when the police and paramedics stormed in. They got Alabaster, Kronos, and Atlas pretty quickly; Dr. Thorn had already run off. Nico and Papà stayed with Bianca on the ambulance. Thalia wanted to go with them, but Luke was staying behind to help the police interrogate Kronos and the others, and she needed to stay with her husband and daughter.

Everyone else joined them at the hospital. It was agony, waiting while Bianca was on the operating table, even if he had Percy, Will, Hazel, and all his friends there with him. He kept his hand firmly in Papà's. Was it to comfort his father or get comfort from him? Probably both.

Three hours later, the doctor came out to speak with them. Nico braced himself for the bad news.

"Well?" Papà said.

The doctor smiled. "She'll make a full recovery."

Everyone screamed with joy. Papà and Nico hugged each other. They were both crying.

Bianca woke up an hour later. Just like the first time, Papà and Nico were right there beside her. "How are you feeling?" Papà asked gently.

"How do you think I'm feeling?" Bianca said in a gravelly voice. "Dejá vù, huh, Nico?"

"You got that right, B," he replied. "One difference, though-I knew you'd make it this time."

Bianca raised her eyebrows in that sassy way of hers. "Really,_ fratello_? That's what you're going with?"

"You survived that plane crash for a reason," Nico insisted. "You're going to be the shining star of our family, the one the world remembers. I can already hear the crowd cheering for you at the Olympics, if you want, I betcha you can hear it, too."

Bianca's lips curled into a smile. "Only if you're there with me, Nico."

"Of course," he said. "Don't you remember my promise? You'll never be alone as long as I'm still breathing."

"Good," she said. "Because I never want to be alone again."

Nico took her hand, and Papà took the other. And there they were, the three di Angelos, in the same hospital where their troubles began. But Nico could see the bird's eye view this time. A boy, a girl, and their father, making their way through the strange miracle that was life. Maybe that's what made their recording so special... it was just a little slice of the mayhem.

It took seven years, but their dream had finally come true. Their family was back together again, and, this time, it was never going to fade away.

* * *

**END NOTES**

Did I have you worried there? Like I said in the tags: no one's dying... especially not Bianca.

Remember, if you like my work, please leave me a review of me as a WRITER so I can use it on my website.

This week's beta commentary:  
STORY: "Our lives... are kind of... fucked up... if you haven't... noticed."  
MELODY: I mean, you're bleeding out on the floor of a billionaire's lavish country club at your father's wedding after being kidnapped by a gang lord and shot by said gang lord... so, yeah, I think we've noticed.  
JOJO: man way to steal the thunder at someone else's wedding, geez  
MELODY: Oh those di Angelo kids, such attention hogs.

Credits:  
Author: Melody Rose (Tumblr bianca-the-huntress)  
Beta Readers: Jojo (Archive of Our Own bannedfrompencils), Luna Rain (Tumblr peppermintlove1), Oli (Tumblr paradoxicalpsychic)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you in my next fic (title pending)!


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